Goal 5: The importance of play on a parents psyche.

Alright, you just got home from work or errands... You're beat and you have to have dinner on the table in an hour then a shower and you have to go to bed to start the grind all over. Suddenly a wonderful opportunity to de-stress presents it's self. Your ___ year old son/daughter comes up to you and asks you to play the newest video game in their collection or tea party. Do you...

1. Explain to them nicely that you are a grown up with grown up things to do and send them on their way? (Kill peter pan... go ahead... who needs em anyway)
2. Yell at them about wasting time and make them set the table? (If mama/papa aint happy)
3. Postpone them as long as possible so you can get something done? ( As is that one thing will ever be finished and it won't splinter into 100 other things and suck out your soul)
4. Drop everything and play? (remembering that we only get a few years when they want to play with us) 

Let's think about this logically and research it.
Logically as an adult you have very important and time consuming tasks to get done and tea parties seem like a waste of time but it is suggested often that in order to relieve stress you should let your inner child out. These suggestions are great and I agree that as a child coping strategies come naturally and it is good to embrace them again as an adult.  I would just take it a step farther and add that if you have kids you should do the things they want to do and see if they rub off on you. My guess is when you are outside at the swing set you will trigger good memories which induce a better mood and create new ones you can access down the line. Also, it is easier to remember how to be silly when you have a pro around to show you how.