Fun is Not Only for the Young

Have you ever wondered why we as a society tend to put fun in a category associated almost directly with age appropriateness? Why is it if you are young then it is accepted that you have fun and do reckless things, but once you reach a certain age it is considered inappropriate or vulgar? It’s strange since we spend such a small portion of our lives as children and teens, ages that are allowed that luxury with little judgment. This brings me to our topic of this week’s blog: having fun regardless of your age. Something that many of us forget as parents but something I believe is vital to our growth and personal well-being.

We know there are certain activities that teens will do: driving fast, playing music loudly, pushing the limits of whatever boundaries given. They don’t do these things only because of their age but because they are essentially enjoyable. They are taking a gulp of life and acting, not waiting and weighing out pros and cons. Rather they are immersing themselves in the moment and savoring it, as only youth can. Why is it that we as adults refuse ourselves that same privilege? Why do we determine that we can only do certain activities and not others? Why do we harshly judge those who do embrace life with both hands? Now I’m not suggesting that you go out and party all night, drink past your your limit and that’s okay. I’m suggesting that we shed some of our adult pretensions and allow a bit of our youthful selves into our everyday life.

For example, my daughter and I were on a shopping trip (one of our favorite bonding activities), and since it was such a beautiful day I decided to take the tops out of my Jeep and we drove home with music blaring, dancing to the beat regardless of the stares we received. What was wrong with that? Am I not allowed to have a little fun because I’m nearing fifty? Whatever! I have every right to enjoy the moment as the younger generation does.

Another example happened just last night. I took my daughter to a concert for one of my favorite country artists she heard my playing as she was growing up. We went right up to the front of the stage where we did a bit of line dancing and then stayed there during the performance belting out the lyrics of our favorite songs, swaying to the music, and screaming our enthusiasm along with the rest of the crowd. Granted, some of that crowd was a bit inebriated but that doesn’t matter. We were having fun. We were living in the moment, creating a memory hopefully we will not soon forget.

This is what I mean by having fun regardless of your age. Sometimes I think we tend to believe that as parents and as adults we always have to model a certain type of decorum for our children. What if we were supposed to show them who we truly are? What if being a role model was about showing them how to enjoy life and not just survive the day to day grind? Because if truth be told, there’s no way I could handle the day to day monotony I endure if I didn’t have a little fun.

So next time you see a teen driver blasting their tunes or spinning out tires, remember that we are not meant to endure but to live life and there is nothing wrong with a bit of fun, regardless of your age. And if you ever get to see Jo Dee Messina in concert, I highly recommend!