Health & Fitness
Moms...Did You Put Your Silly On Today?
118th Vaudeville show will demonstrate the power of old-fashioned silliness.
My students perform a song and dance act called "I Don't Care." Kids as young as 3 years old love this routine because they get to play mismatched "dress-up." By the end of the music, they all look pretty goofy while enjoying enthusiastic applause. Hopefully some of the self-centered phrases in "I Don't Care" inspire a few Vaudevillians toward becoming lifelong individualists.
Unfortunately our contemporary times have provided public schools with less money to spend on educating our kids in "The Arts." This fact should not be trivialized. How can today's kids be inspired by the world they live in if they don't learn how to socialize using playful drama, which can include music, dance and, most importantly, a healthy sense of humor?
My kids are adults now, but when they were young I saw the beginning of what I believe is an unhealthy parenting trend...less silly time. Today's generation of grade-schoolers are overbooked with largely competitive activities. Everyone knows you don't win medals and trophies for silliness. I'm all for kids trying to learn many new skill-sets. But what I don't like to see is stress on the faces of over-booked children who are missing out on the fun of being a kid.
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Think about it. Before peer pressure gets tossed into the mix (without the help of well-intentioned parents) kids roughly have until their pre-teen years to just be goofy and silly. Most youngsters don't care what other people think of their unorthodox actions. Silliness is part of a kid's definition of fun. We should let them hold onto this freedom to not care what other people think about them for as long as possible. You "young-at-heart" adults know what I'm talking about.
Eva Tanguay was Vaudeville's signature "I Don't Care" girl. In 1905 the song-writing team of Lenox and Sutton wrote the energenic, well-received tune. Eva made it a hit. If you've never heard of Miss Tanguay, I'm not surprised. She was sort of the Lady Gaga of her time, pushing the entertainment envelope and not always in a good direction, I'll admit. But who can deny the freedom it gives to sing out (with feeling) these lyrics..."They say I'm crazy, got no sense, but I don't care. They may or may not mean offense, but I don't care. You see I'm sort of independent, of a clever race descendant. My spirit is on the ascendant, just cause I don't care!"
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Grown-ups...How can you read those words and not feel even a tiny bit liberated from the world's expectations of you? I'm not saying go nuts here. I just believe we all need more time in our lives for harmless, joyful, silliness.
Years ago in Vaudeville class a little student was anxious to begin practicing "I Don't Care." Her exact words to me: "Hurry up, Mrs. D.! It's time to put our silly on!" I began the music, joined in, and everyone giggled while we put our silly on, no audience present.
I really DO CARE, moms. This is a warning. If you dare blink, missing your chances now, your uninhibited silly kids will morph into pressurized teens.
Join us for wonderful, old-fashioned silliness for a good cause. Dickinson's Little Vaudeville will be performing our 118th variety show, a FREE FOOD-PANTRY BENEFIT, on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 P.M. We'll be at Patton Elementary School, 1616 N. Patton Ave., in Arlington Heights. Call me, Donna, at Vaudeville (847) 632-0890 if you'd like more information. Vaudevillians between the ages of 5 thru 17 will be singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and performing comedy.
