Dad Jokes to the Rescue
UP YOUR PARENTING GAME WITH HUMOR
When you stop to think about it, humor is one of the most versatile tools in our lives. We can use humor to strengthen our relationships with friends, spouses, coworkers, and anyone else we regularly interact with. Humor gives us opportunities to laugh, which can put us in a better mood, reduce stress, and improve our overall mental health. Laughing can even help us overcome obstacles and get through difficult times. That said, we have another valuable use of humor many people might not consider: Humor can help you strengthen your bond with your children. In a recent study, researchers surveyed individuals about their childhood experiences with humor. Of those who responded, 80% said they had a positive relationship with their parents, and 55% stated that the people who raised them used humor in their parenting efforts. Nearly 72% of respondents agreed that humor could be an effective parenting tool, and almost 64% believed humor has the potential to provide more positive benefits than harm. In conclusion, the study found people viewed humorous parents more positively; they had stronger relationships with their adult kids and were perceived as more effective parents. While this study suggests a positive correlation between humor and better parental relationships, it’s worth noting that researchers only received responses from 312 individuals, most of whom were white males. The study is just a starting point for exploring humor as a parenting tool. Humor is subjective. What one person finds funny, another may not. When using humor while parenting, there’s a fine line you don’t
not getting a toy or tearing up the bathroom after you tried to brush their teeth, it can feel like nothing will fix the situation at that moment. Try to tickle their funny bone instead of getting mad and breaking out disciplinary actions. Playfully imitate their tantrum or use a silly voice to calm them down. There’s a good chance they’ll start laughing after one look at you, causing them to feel better and forget about their problem. Become the butt of the joke. If you’re trying to get a quick laugh out of one of your kids, do something to make yourself look ridiculous. Wear a funny hat, take a fake tumble to the floor, or act confused over simple requests. By doing this, you’re flipping the power balance, which, in turn, will make them laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Just don’t go too far and make yourself look like an imbecile, or your kids might get embarrassed or lose respect for you. Do not make fun of your kids, their passions, or their friends. You can poke fun at almost anything, but you should never make your kids the target of your humor. While it might make their siblings laugh, the long-term effects could be disastrous, especially if you continually mock them for the same behaviors. For example, let’s say your kid regularly chews with their mouth open. Instead of continually reminding them, you start to make fun of them. This could quickly lead to their becoming uncomfortable eating around anyone else and could even turn into a debilitating phobia. The point of humor in parenting is to bring you and your child closer together, but if you make them the target of your jokes, you’ll destroy the relationship.
want to cross, or your attempts may have the opposite effect. Let’s examine a few examples of the right and wrong ways to joke around with your kids. Use humor before conflict reaches a boiling point. It’s not uncommon for people to use humor to calm down tense situations. When your kids are throwing a tantrum in a store over
When done properly, humor can be a valuable asset to improving your relationship with your children and helping them view the world through different perspectives. So, go ahead and share that corny dad joke. Even if your kids groan at it now, they’ll likely come to appreciate your efforts in the future!
2 • www.bermanpt.com
Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator