Have you ever noticed just how much of a pain you can be?

I have.

This talent was brought to my attention through the prayers of my son a few days ago. As he prayed, he asked God to help me to stop having a headache, or whatever it was that was making my grumpy.

Talk about a wake up call!

I returned from a minister’s retreat in Colorado earlier this week. I got in around four in the morning, and was just about mauled when the kids woke up and realized that I was home.

They just want to be around me.

And they enjoy being around me more when I’m fun to be around. Not when I’m grumpy and irritable.

Here are a few ways that you and I can work on being more fun to be around.

Listen

For some people, it’s too easy to dominate the conversation. This is not fun to be around. I enjoy sharing my opinions and thoughts. If I do, then so do others. Developing the ability to listen well to your kids will help them to enjoy being around you more.

Smile and laugh

Do this. A lot. But make sure you’re laughing with your kids, and not at them. Laughter is contagious, and optimism is enjoyable. When you smile and laugh a lot, people enjoy being around you more.

Be active

Boring people just sit there. In order to be fun to be abound, get active. Stand up. Move around. Get on the floor and play with your kids. Dance with them. Run around. Move.

Spontaneity

Your kids will love it when you keep things interesting. One night, we were having a movie night, and I decided to sit on the floor. My kids were shocked to see me down there, because I usually sit on the sofa. But within moments, all of them were on the floor with me. My spontaneous actions surprised them. And I loved their reactions.

Curiosity

Ask your kids questions. Make them unexpected. My son has a list of questions he gets out at mealtimes. One of the questions from last night was “When was the last time you failed at something in the kitchen? What happened?” Telling stories like this ended up in laughter all around. If you’re more mechanically inclined, and your kids are too, take apart an old coffee pot to see how it works together. Be curious.

Give praise and cheer

My kids love playing with Legos. They make some pretty interesting creations. One night, my two year old daughter came to me with a creation. she explained that it was a fireplace. I made a big deal of how creative she was, and that smile stayed on her face for hours!

Believe in yourself

The best way to develop the ability to be fun to be around is believing that you’re fun to be around. Confidence goes a long way to creating the reality. If you keep telling yourself that you’re a fun person, it won’t be long until your funability moves up a notch or two.

No one likes to hang around with boring people. Not even family. Your kids enjoy being around you, but they will enjoy it more when you’re fun to be around. So make the most of every opportunity you have to have fun with your kids.

Be deliberate, Dad!

Would you consider yourself fun to be around? Why or why not? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.