Fun Parent Friday: Alt Persona

On Fridays, I will try to share a quick tip on how to incorporate an easy trick to to be more intentionally fun and playful as a parent, if you are in need of a little encouragement and help. Being playful with your kids on just a normal day keeps you both in the moment and is what really boosts all those core childhood bliss moments.

the activity: Alt Persona

Who: children 4+ (the child should understand ‘pretend’ play)
Length of activity: on-going
How many participants: at least 2 people
Equipment needed: none
Skills required: amateur acting

how to play:

• At a certain trigger (or for no particular reason at all), the parent pretends to be a character that is unlike their normal self
• The character should be consistent and recognizable enough for the children to know immediately because of a prop, accent, body movements, sound effects, or catch phrase
• Examples of “Alt Personas”:
  • Mr. Napkin Head – Jude Law from the movie The Holiday
  • A wild, bucking bronco- my dad on all fours encouraging hilarious/slightly dangerous horseplay
  • Grandma Jones – one my alt personas (she’s an old lady who hugs, kisses, and squeezes the cheeks of little children)
  • An unstoppable, enthusiastic dancer – my late great uncle Sharpe anytime the song Elvira by the Oak Ridge Boys was played
• The point to this game is building a connection and long-lasting memory through a weird inside joke; but that’s about it.

Introduction to Alt Persona

• You don’t have to necessarily ‘decide’ on an Alt Persona, they usually are just born from playfulness naturally – so start getting silly with your kids and you’ll discover who/what you can become
• You do not need to limit yourself to only one Alt Persona, you can have many as long as they are clearly defined, consistent, and recognizable
• The Alt Persona can ‘stay’ as long as you are comfortable at any given time:
  • a few seconds of a catch phrase
  • a few minutes, the length of a song
  • until your energy is spent on it
  • when it loses it’s silliness for the moment
• Usually the very funniest part of an Alt Persona is right when the adult signals that it’s show time for the Alt Persona. (ie. When I look at the kids surprised and say, “I think I hear Grandma Jones!” and they all start giggling and saying “no! not Grandma Jones!” and putting their hands on their cheeks so she can’t pinch them.)

Pros of activity

• inside joke-making material
• immediate tension relief through it’s silliness
• the game can begin and end without warning
• Very hard to explain to others; you just have to be there to get it.

Cons of activity

• if you are a shy person, this game requires you to be pretty ridiculous in front of children (or other people if they try to get you to do it in a bigger setting – like with their friends or at a family dinner)
• older kids will act like you are embarassing (but they secretly love being in on the joke)
• Very hard to explain to others; you just have to be there to get it.