Articles
HUMOR
April 06, 2009
Parent should never laugh in front of their children. It gives the children a message that the world is funny and it's not.
Seriously, laughter is a wonderful tool parents can use in many ways. It can defuse anger when the child is acting up. It can cheer up a sad kid. It can make family members feel close to each other.
Babies may not come into the world laughing but it is remarkable how early they smile. Babies are born hard-wired to be appealing to grownups. They start out adorable and within only few weeks they smile when they see your face! And soon after they will start to laugh out loud.
Well before the baby's first birthday a rudimentary sense of humor appears. Babies laugh when tickled, when you make a funny face or a strange sound, and when you play Peek-a-boo. Preschoolers have a keen sense of the ridiculous. Easy to be a comedian in front of your kids. Hilarity can ensue if you merely put a pot lid on your head.
Take advantage of the advantages of laughter. Become a family that values humor.
Don't laugh AT your kids but it's OK to laugh at yourself. This serves two purposes. It's a way of apologizing if you have done something wrong or dumb. "My bad, I forgot to get your uniform. If I forget one more thing I'll lose my Parent License" Laughing at your self without putting yourself down is an art, an art well worth teaching your kids. This models a good way to handle a problem.
Laughter can be used deliberately to direct the child away from an undesired behavior. Swoop down and grab Baby on the way to the dog's dish and play a tickle game for distraction. Name-calling? "Punish" the kid by playing a game calling out the silliest names ever. "You're a squashed marshmallow!
Listen to your kid's jokes. Save funny things to tell them. Watch suitable funny movies together. Invent funny games. My kids played a game to think of the most grossest possible food combinations like ketchup on a hot fudge sundae. They also would say long words backwards to see if the other one could figure out what it was.
The family that laughs together stays happy together!
Written by Dr Marilyn Heins. Dr.Heins is a pediatrician and parenting columnist residing in Tucson Arizona. For more information visit www.ParentKidsRight.com.
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