Seals of Approval

Tim Walz is Kid Approved

“We’re different outside but inside the same.” - From “A World Full of Magic” by Jena Ball and Rasp

The picture on the left is of Tim Walz being hugged by a group of students. The smile on his face says it all and brought back happy memories for me. The photo on the right is of me with a group of third graders at a school in Texas. I was there to do an author reading and was treated to a group hug when I was done. If you could see my face you would know that I too was grinning from ear to ear.

There’s nothing better and no bigger compliment than spontaneous hugs from kids. Children have excellent bullshit detectors and their attention, trust, and love must be earned. Readings were never a performance for me - they were an invitation to step out of the rule-bound adult world and into the magic of stories. Story-magic, you see, is serious business. We’re not talking here about hocus pocus, card tricks, or rabbits pulled from hats. Story-magic requires focus, imagination, and the willingness to embark on a potentially risky journey. You have to be able to trust the storyteller and your companions. You have to be able to play.

We often talk about play as being childlike - something we “should” grow out of when we become “serious” adults. In fact, play is a vital part of being human at any stage of life. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, founder and past president of the National Institute for Play, “The presence or absence of play, particularly in child development, has a great deal to do with competency, resiliency, emotional health and brain size. Play is not frivolous and not just for kids, but something that is an inherent part of human nature.”

What I discovered was that if I was willing to be a kid myself - to say and do silly things (hoot like an owl, use funny voices when I read, wag my tail) kids would jump in feet first too. Their delight was palpable, as was mine, and the only times I ever felt self-conscious or judged were when an adult would enter the room to point out the time or ask us to “quiet down.” I never left a school after a reading feeling anything but intense satisfaction, happiness, and exhaustion. Joyful, play-filled storytelling takes A LOT of energy. It is the very best kind of work, and I miss it every day.

So thank you for the delightful trip down memory lane, Mr. Walz. The fact that you clearly have the kids’s seal of approval means a lot to me. I’ve often wished that a play date with third and fourth graders was part of the vetting process for all candidates running for office. Kids are able to spot someone who is insincere or unsafe from a mile away, so knowing a candidate is capable of opening his heart for some good old fashioned fun is reassuring. Oh, and congratulations on being chosen Kamala Harris’s running mate. You’ve won my heart and vote as well.

Jena

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Resources

“Research shows that when mammals play, their brains are activated in a way that can change neuron connections in the prefrontal cortex, which impact emotional regulation and problem-solving. Play can also release chemicals in the brain, including oxytocin (which helps regulate emotions and supports social skills) and dopamine (a neurotransmitter that impacts memory, motivation, attention and mood).” - Dee Ray, a professor of early childhood education and director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas College of Education.

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