Imagine placing an order at a drive-thru restaurant. (And yes, you definitely want fries with that.) You pull up to the window and begin digging out some cash only to learn from the store employee that the person ahead of you already paid for your meal. Wouldn’t that make you feel amazing? If you were having a bad day up until that point, what are the odds that your mood changes? This concept is known as “paying it backward.” It’s similar to “paying it forward,” which is the expression for describing when the beneficiary of a good deed repays it to someone else instead of the original …
Small Rebellion #8: Scram Winter (aka How To Survive a Long Winter)
This year, Old Man Winter was especially diabolical. We got tired of waiting for him to leave, so we took matters into our own hands and invited others to join us in a Small Rebellion we called Scram Winter. The MISSION: Sometime between now and the last official day of winter, ignore the snowflakes and subzero temps and host a tropical party indoors! Do it with your family, some friends, or invite a whole cruise ship full of people; the only requirement is to be creative in your avoidance of the evidence of winter! Jack up the thermostat. Serve tropical drinks. Blow up some inflatable palm …
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Small Rebellion #7: Halloween Unleashed
Halloween is exciting for kids and adults, too; Dressing in costume: a thing we all love to do. But why settle for parties or just Trick or Treat? What if you wore one when you went out to eat? Perhaps shopping for groceries or driving car pool; Or serving on jury duty would even be cool. Or maybe while getting your vision corrected; Just wear your costume somewhere unexpected. Adultitis won't like it and people might stare; The rebellion is knowing that you just don't care. Halloween is the best. I love that it's free of the obligatory gift-buying and mountains of stress …
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Small Rebellion #6: The Ugly Treat Initiative
According to the Interwebs, the first week of April is Laugh at Work Week. If there’s one thing work could use more of, it’s laughter. Inspired by our most recent Champion of Childhood award winners who made an epic ugly cake for a co-worker, we are introducing a new Small Rebellion and we'd love to have you join us! It’s called The Ugly Treat Initiative, and the instructions are very simple: The MISSION: Step 1) Make a delicious dessert that also happens to be really, really UGLY. Step 2) Bring it to work to share. Step 3) Enjoy laughter and improved morale with your colleagues. (And …
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Small Rebellion #5: Pajama Run
It’s time for another official Small Rebellion (a small but mighty act of defiance against Adultitis and the rules that don’t exist)! Pajama Runs are great, because they fit into busy schedules, allow you to break a few “rules,” and for the price of a few simple ice cream cones, you get to create a memory you will never forget. The Mission: Put simply, a Pajama Run is when you surprise someone by taking them out for a late-night ice cream treat in their pajamas. In fact, EVERYONE involved needs to be wearing pajamas. Anyone can play -- you can “kidnap” your kids, grandkids, parents, or …
Small Rebellion #4: Special Op Sidewalk Chalk
A few months back, we highlighted a Denver neighborhood that had banned children’s sidewalk drawings, calling them "a distracting and offensive blight." Hopefully you don’t live in a neighborhood like that. (If you do, hopefully you’ve dutifully covered the sidewalks with chalk drawings.) Well, it’s been a while since we hosted an “official” Small Rebellion, but we figured it was time for a new mission, and sidewalk chalk is going to be the star. …
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Small Rebellion #3: Holiday Factory
Time for a new officially-sanctioned Small Rebellion! Ever notice how we usually only celebrate something if the calendar gives us permission? You know, if the fine print on a particular day says “St. Patrick’s Day,” we dress up in green and eat corned beef. If it reads “independence Day,” we grill up some food and ignite some fireworks. Kids, on the other hand, celebrate everything. Kindergartners celebrate Groundhog Day, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and even the 100th Day of School! But kids have it right. You see, every day is a holiday. It’s just that on most days, what to celebrate is up …
Small Rebellion #2: Operation Interrogation
This officially-sanctioned Small Rebellion (a small but mighty act of defiance against Adultitis and the rules that don’t exist) is inspired by National Ask A Question Day. The most popular three-letter word for three-year-olds is "Why?" Kids are endlessly curious and are always asking questions. As we get older, the curiosity fades and the questions slow to a trickle. Why? Because we're afraid to admit we don't know something and we don't want to appear foolish. And if we happen to be in a conversation that turns to a subject we know know nothing about, we fake like we do while scanning …
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Small Rebellion #1: Project Pancake!
We're doing something new and a little nuts. We've been writing a lot lately about this idea of small rebellions, those small but mighty acts of defiance against the rules that don’t exist and the most effective way of defeating Adultitis. Over the past months, we've been sharing examples from people who've inspired us. And we've decided it's time to take things to a new level. To get even more people involved and mount a campaign that really puts Adultitis on the defensive. And so we're thrilled to announce our first-ever officially-sanctioned Small Rebellion. …