(Another "Thought for the Day")

Our little girl is an endless source of joy and delight, frustration and despair. Any parent will be able to tell you that. Going through the “terrible twos” means that one minute she will be ecstatically leaping around, yelling “hallelujah” and waving her arms in the air, while the next she’ll be lying on the floor screaming “don’t want to! don’t want to!”

She may drive me to distraction – but it’s hard to fault the energy and enthusiasm – or not to smile as she has animated conversations with her teddy-bears.

Small children are not afraid of enjoying themselves. They don’t care too much about what others think – even when daddy is on the telephone.

Now, today I’m not about to suggest that you run around yelling at the top of your voice, or that you have a teddy-bears' tea party.

No, I just want to ask a couple of simple questions:

When did you last have a time of good, clean, unrestrained fun?

When did you last allow yourself to laugh – or help another to do so?

Because if you really can’t remember then I’d suggest something is wrong.

True, life might just be seriously unenjoyable at present. This happens and is perfectly normal. It’s why we need each others help – and might benefit from a word with “My Boss, Jesus” as I tell the kids at school.

But if you haven’t relaxed, played and laughed because you’re too important, too embarrassed or too proud – well think on this, and learn a secret:

Being an adult is knowing when you’re allowed to be a child.

So whatever else you do today – let the child inside you out to play.