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Show "FuTtrn is good, for yon r. Did you know that when kids play, they're ' really doing serious "work?" Children playing house are preparing for adult roles. Through T" play, they learn many of life's skills. So in a sense, a child's "job" in life can be thought of " as play. LIVELY, active play is also an important part of learning coordination and balance. Running, Run-ning, jumping, and other energetic activities are healthy ways for your child to release stress and tension. And they're fun. Quiet play is as important as the active kind. Working puzzles, playing games and working with art supplies are important to a child. So are telling or reading stories. BUT THE healthy effects of play and laughter laugh-ter - "good clean fun" - are not limited to children. Adults benefit just as much from having hav-ing fun as their kids do. In fact, parents can . . learn to get more out of life by re-learning how to play from their children. - "We can all use a collection of 'tools' to . cultivate life's garden of possibilities," says a - mental health counselor at Healthcare Services of America, one of the nation's largest private psychiatric hospital companies. "The wonderful wonder-ful thing about these tools is that they help us get through the tough times, and make the most of our own inner potential." THE HUMAN system has a number of built-in built-in coping and damage-repair patterns. Laughter, Laugh-ter, humor, play and fun make up one very important pattern through which people of all ages can "celebrate life." One business executive says that he keeps toys in his office to help his staff loosen up and tap into their creativity. He says that, relieved from the constraints of the formal business world, employees come up with some of their best ideas. IT'S EQUALLY important to plan for play tn your off hours. Try recording just how much time you spend working (at home and the office) and how much time you spend pursuing hobbies like gardening, golf, or cooking. Then plan to take time each week for nothing but pure and simple fun. Even though your life may seem focused on a career or family, you'll be happier and more successful at both if you take time for you," says an HSA recreational therapist. She cited one contented couple who wrote their own wedding vows, including a promise to make each other laugh at least twice a day. "LIKE THE saying goes, laughter is one of the best medicines," she added. "And it's even more than that. It's a tool for building a long, happy and productive life." |