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Terry Ate A Chicken Leg
(or The Art of the Family Laugh)!
By Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT
www.SharonScott.com
When I was growing up the phrase “Terry ate a chicken leg” would bring peals of laughter to my parents and myself! I won’t explain the reason in case the now adult “Terry” might be reading this. And I delight in the memory of when Nany, my elderly grandmother, failed to see my cocker spaniel Pudgie asleep in her dining room and crashed to the floor on top of him like a falling tree. We all gasped sure that she had broken every bone in her body… there was silence… and then, she lifted her head laughing hysterically. Or the story about my grandfather laying a dead snake skin in the back pasture for my Uncle Kenneth to stumble upon—the stumble resulted in a record sky-high jump. Or when Aunt Nell, my mother’s sister, got lost in my new house and went to the wrong bedroom almost climbing in bed with my sleeping father. These stories are treasured in our family because they cause us to laugh until we cry.
 See side bar for information on Sharon's wonderful books for elementary-age children. There is a discounted price on the 5-book series that even includes a darling Nicholas puppet.
These books are "co-authored" by Sharon's beloved cocker spaniel Nicholas who shares true antics by him and his animal buddies to gently and lovingly present important living skills. Each book is filled with problem-solving exercises, delightful illustrations and easy-to-follow suggestions. His inquisitive childlike qualities make him the perfect guide on difficult and important subjects. See "The Nicholas Collection" at www.hrdpress.com/SharonScott .
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Speaking of laughing so hard that you cry… I miss my father terribly as he was the one person who would laugh so hard with me that he couldn’t sit up and I would actually be on the floor incapacitated from laughter. Our laughter would best be described as loud cackles with gasps for air every now and then before we would start up all over again. Daddy died in 2004 and I don’t recall laughing like that since… but I hope that I do some day.
I don’t miss the cartoon in the newspaper  “Pearls Before Swine” by Stephan Pastis as more often than not his comic strip makes me laugh out loud. I go to sleep after watching Jay Leno’s monologue because he, too, makes me laugh out loud—especially the segment he calls Jaywalking where he asks people on the street questions and they give really dumb answers. My favorite was when he asked a 20-something female if she knew what Mount Rushmore was and she replied that she did. He then asked her how the four president’s faces came to be on the rocks and, in all seriousness, she said, “Erosion?”
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As you can see, I look for things or people to make me smile and laugh. I hope you are developing the funny stories (but not humiliating ones) that will cause your family to roar with laughter. If not, find your funny bone and share it… or buy a book of humorous stories… or watch shows like “America’s Funniest Videos” with your family. Laughter could help the world go ‘round!
Copyright 2009. Sharon Scott. No reproduction without written permission from author.
P.S. Please see my other column, Counselor's Corner -- ANTS Are Not What You Think! Control Your Thoughts Control Your Life
Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT, has been making a difference in peoples’ lives for 30 years though her international keynotes and workshops, her eight award-winning books, and her private counseling services. Five of her books are a charming series for elementary-age children that she “co-authored” with her savvy cocker spaniel Nicholas. Each beautifully illustrated book teaches a valuable living skill such as managing emotions in Life’s Not Always Fair, building character in Nicholas’ Values, and making wise choices in Too Smart for Trouble. Sharon’s best-seller for teens is How to Say No and Keep Your Friends, 2nd Ed. Her books are available from HRD Press, 800-822-2801 or www.hrdpress.com/SharonScott . For more information on Sharon’s many workshop topics that she can bring to your child’s school or community, please see her website at www.SharonScott.com.
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Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT, is an internationally recognized family counselor with a private practice in north Texas. She is considered the leading expert on peer pressure having trained more than one million people across the U.S. and in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey, and Micronesia in her proven techniques. For information on bringing Sharon to your community or school to present one of her 29 dynamic workshops for children, teens, parents, or educators, please see her website www.SharonScott.com .
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Listen to
Families Online Radio Interview with Sharon Scott
Books That Work!
By Sharon Scott
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Family counselor Sharon Scott is the author of 8 books including this delightful series for children that is "co-authored" by her savvy cocker spaniel Nicholas who makes learning valuable life skills fun.
 Too Smart for Trouble, a best-selling, award-winning book, teaches children to think on their own and how to say no when asked to do something wrong.
 Not Better... Not Worse... Just Different is must reading for children to learn to be more sensitive to others, avoid bullying and know how to handle teasing.
 Life's Not Always Fair is a child's guide for managing emotions and learning to soothe oneself when mad, sad, scared or confused.
Nicholas' Values is a delightful guide helping children develop good character traits such as honesty, confidence, sharing and so much more!
Too Cool for Drugs helps children learn why and how to say no to drugs--drug education must begin in the home at an early age!
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