A sense of humor is such an important part of being a human. If we don’t laugh we can hardly live. Someone once said that man is the social animal. I think that man is the animal that laughs. Laughter is what redeems the darkest days and helps make the bright ones just a little bit brighter. It is the icing on the cake of life. We know that people who tend to laugh are healthier and mentally happier. They can look at the problems of life and get through them because they don’t seem as daunting. This doesn’t mean that laughter is the cure for everything, but it sure can help when things are not going so well. These tried and trusted truths help to show why it is important for all of us, and particularly children, to have a good sense of humor. Children are our future, and while this seems a cliche, it is true. We need children and they need us. The world needs them. But not all children have a great sense of humor. We love most children partly because they are silly and seem to be full of life. You want to develop that sense of humor in your child, both for their well being and yours. How can you develop the sense of humor in your child? It surely isn’t much like training a dog to sit. While this is true, here are a few hints that could help you get your child to laugh more.
1. While we all want our children to laugh and to laugh a lot, consider that not all people laugh as much as others. Some people simply are not hard wired to giggle or guffaw in the way that others do. They might be a bit more sad or introverted. This is just fine. Remember that it takes all kinds to make a world. Don’t try to force a naturally quiet child to laugh all the time. It will probably only make them resent you. However, even a quiet and introverted child wants to laugh and needs to laugh. The key is to achieve a balance. Find the things that make your child laugh and surround your child with these things. If it is a TV show, purchase the DVD. If it is physical humor, show them movies with physical humor. There are all sorts of possiblities.
2. Make sure that your child is not scared or feeling unsafe. A child that feels threatened will not laugh. If you can give your child a safe and comfortable environment they will be far more likely to develop their sense of humor. Although we cannot ensure that our children will not have bad experiences, we do know that we can do a lot to help them stay safe in their early years.
3. Finally, make sure that your child has friends with a similar sense of humor. If you think back to your childhood, you probably laughed the most when you were with a group of silly friends. Watching movies together or singing songs was one of my favorite activities. A child’s sense of humor will develop with the sense of humor of their friends. If your child is not laughing much, consider introducing them to a few more kids.
Remember that a child is a person and deserves to be treated like one. If they don’t want to laugh then they don’t want to. You cannot force them, but if you truly desire their happiness you can help them laugh a bit more.
