how do you *not* laugh?

[Chaos Coordinator]

we were laying down for bed last night and my 20 month old was being crazy. he was ramming his skull into my ribs and making a growling noise, then he climbed up on my back and bellyflopped onto my legs, then he ran in circles around the room, up and down off the mattress which is sitting on the floor, screaming and making monkey sounds. it was so absurd. i hid my face as i cracked up. its common for him to run down a ton of leftover energy at bedtime but last night was quite extreme.

how do you not laugh when your kids are doing something totally inappropriate yet simultaneously hysterical?

[arwen_tiw]

I usually laugh, tell them I love them, and then DO something (playful and loving) to settle them with the smile still on my face, rather than trying to TELL them it's not appropriate and forcing myself into stern and serious mode! Playing hugging games, action songs leading to softer sleepy songs, encouraging them to tickle mummy and then doing a cuddle dance around the room myself before snuggling down with them... :)

[klpmommy]

I laugh. I will be silly or playful to stop it if I need to, otherwise I just enjoy their exuberance & joy. I take my job as a mom seriously, but that doesn't mean I have to be serious all the time. ;)

Pretty much what Sarah posted. :tu

[Barefoot Bookworm]

Hehe, what they said. I remember sitting on my bed just dying laughing as my son ran back and forth and in circles in my bedroom at 2am once. He was clearly slap happy. Same with my DD1 about a month ago when she woke up sick. She was tucked in my bed and I told my husband I was getting slap happy while giggling. She slapped the air and said, "Slap!" Then burst into hysterical laughter. And did it repeatedly for oh, 20 minutes straight. I laughed sooo hard even though it was the middle of the night and she was supposed to be settling down between us to go back to sleep.

[graceandmercy]

I usually can't stop laughing either! Pretty much what Sarah posted as well.

[Mama Calidad]

There are occasions when I just laugh...and others where it's teeth firmly applied to the inside of my cheek. :shifty :giggle

[klpmommy]

There are occasions when I just laugh...and others where it's teeth firmly applied to the inside of my cheek. :shifty :giggle

I've had to leave the room before b/c I needed to laugh but didn't want to encourage future repeats of whatever it was.....but that is really bigger kids. Toddlers I just laugh b/c you can distract them later if they try again. 8 y/o boys......not so much. ;)