Why You Should Go to Bed When Your Children Do

By Cliff Kuhn, M.D.
The Laugh Doctor
"It all starts with a SMILE"

The weather is warm in Kentucky today. It reminds me of getting
ready for little league when my son was a boy.

On one such occasion, my wife was out of town visiting her
parents and I was home alone in Ann Arbor, MI with my son and
daughter. I had a rare day off during my residency and thought
I might celebrate by hosting a small poker game with three
buddies that night. And even though I had no parental backup
the next day, I had a perfect plan for staying up late to play.

I bathed my son and daughter, put them in pajamas, and laid them
on the couch in front of the television while we played poker at
the kitchen table. My instructions to the kids were to watch TV
as late as they could and then fall asleep on the couch. All
the while I was only a few feet away, enjoying my bachelor-style
night. of poker.

I was so smart - I figured out how to have the best of both
worlds!

The plan seemed to work perfectly; the kids stayed up much later
than normal. My friends and I played until 2 AM, with me
certain that my children would sleep very late the next morning
and allow me to catch up on my sleep too. I was a genius!

Much to my surprise, I discovered that my plan was faulty much
too late. At 7 AM the next morning, I was awakened by Greg
tugging on my sleeping body and asking for breakfast. I stared
bleakly at my bedside clock, dismayed that my son was up at his
normal time. How could this have happened to me," I wondered
irately, "Am I being punished for something here?"

As I arose to face my day, sleep deprived and forcibly shut in
the house all day (it was freezing outside with too much snow)
with two live wire little kids, I learned an unforgettable
lesson which led to one of my favorite Smile Strategies: Expect
the Unexpected.

Don't ever put too much faith in your ideas for how things will
unfold, because life has a very funny (and, if you adhere to
this Smile Strategy, fun) way of throwing you constant curve
balls. Life's tendency to dismay and confound your expectations
makes Expecting the Unexpected vital for your health and
happiness. But if you follow my prescription, your humor nature
will always be there to help you navigate the twists and turns.

Let your humor nature teach you, as it teaches me, to make plans
- but not to plan the outcomes. And don't ever count on
children sleeping late!

And, oh yeah, Happy Valentine's Day!

Your Attention Please!

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Some Humor to Help You Smile

Rita Rudner

"If you want to recapture your youth, cut off his allowance."

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Cliff Kuhn, M.D.
The Laugh Doctor
7406 Wesboro Road
Louisville, KY 40242
"It all starts with a SMILE"