Instilling the Value of Humor in Our Kids

I love to laugh. And think that a sense of humor is such an important quality for kids to develop. So I’m so excited to have Katy Blevins guest posting today on how she’s instilling the value of humor in her kids. An affiliate link is used in this post.

Having grown up in a family of musicians and artists, self-expression was always welcomed and encouraged as a necessary part of the human experience. Humor was no exception. A good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself is an invaluable tool to release stress, stave off anxiety and communicate with others. It’s no wonder that J.M. Barrie used laughter to describe the magical creation of fairies in Peter Pan.

Laughter is magical. It brings life to the eyes and light to those surrounded by its musical cadence. As a mother, teaching my children to embrace humor is one of my primary goals as a parent. I know that the ability to look at life with a laugh will serve them in good times and in bad as adults, and ultimately, living a fulfilled life requires you to choose joy in all moments. A good sense of humor grounds that ability to move forward in tough times and to see beyond your present circumstances to something better. Here is how humor has served us in our household and why it’s important to instill this value in your children:

1. Laughter connects. We have twin three-year-olds who are complete opposites in every way, a feisty thirteen-year-old, two crazy dogs, a handful of fish, a snail, a quiet husband and OCD-me in our tiny home. That’s a lot of different personalities, likes, dislikes, moods, you name it. Laughter is the great connector. Whenever someone is suffering from a bad day, or for whatever reason life has created a tense dynamic between parent and child, or child to child, or even parent to parent…a good laugh brings us all together as a solid family unit and restores energy.
2. Laughter heals. Let’s face it. Having kids means a lot of boo boos. Having twin boys? Well, the boo boo count has already reached epic proportions at the tender age of three. And grace is a trait my thirteen-year-old will be the first to tell you she doesn’t have, so she’s got her own lengthy list of run ins with the floor, the wall, you know what I mean. Teaching the kids to laugh and get back up after a fall helps them to accept scrapes and bumps as a part of life and gives them the strength to recover quickly and move on. That’s not to say that boo boos don’t get the love and attention they deserve, as empathy is also an invaluable trait that I wish to instill upon my children.
3. Laughter diffuses. Parenting means a lot of tough moments. We have the not-so-easy, not-so-fun, all day, every day job of disciplining our children and walking them through the rough learning lessons of life. Be it the inevitably awkward “sex talk” or a poor decision that warrants a sturdy punishment, a little bit of laughter can go a long way. In awkward moments, it can bring comfort and some much-needed relaxation to a tense environment. In moments of discipline and instruction, it can breach the chasm between parent and child and open the door to honest awareness of one’s wrongdoing.
4. Laughter releases. It’s important for our children to know that it’s okay to be silly. That physical and emotional release of just letting go and allowing yourself to be absolutely ridiculously silly is extremely important. As someone with OCD and anxiety, this is one area that I struggle in, whereas my husband is a rock star of silly, of which I admit some jealousy! Releasing the pressure to perform and just kicking back to enjoy life is extremely healthy and serves as the foundation that sparks imaginative play. Let them live those silly dreams where giant dinosaurs are chasing them through the house and the floor is made of lava. Let them laugh through the fantasy world they believe is just beyond their own doorstep. Let them be kids.

It’s important to note that the most valuable lesson in humor is that the laugh that hurts is not humorous at all. It’s okay to be silly and laugh alongside each other in camaraderie, but the laughter that isolates and teases others or causes any pain is not acceptable. Humor at another’s expense is mean-spirited and is a form of bullying. When we play with our children and when they are playing with each other, if there is any sense of discomfort, be it emotional or physical, we have taught them the phrase “I don’t like this game.” If anyone utters those words, it is the signal for immediately ceasing the activity and time to consider if a heartfelt apology is due.Here are a few fun ways we get silly in our house:

1. Nicknames: The boys love them. I call them my little chickens, B is my little string bean and J is my tank. We trade nicknames and try to pretend B is J and J is B, which results in a lot of giggly “No Mama! I’m B! No Mama! I’m J!” My husband even does this with our dog. J has started calling Gambit “Leroy” because he heard it from my husband so often. Ha!
2. Dance Parties: Cue pumping music and crazy dancing. This is always good for a laugh, especially if we’re bouncing up and down or doing silly circles. I also love to mimic the boys’ dance moves, which is hilarious to them.
3. Silly Faces: This is another great copycat game. J absolutely adores when I sit in front of him and mimic his endless supply of silly faces. He knows the faces feel silly on him, but seeing them on me cracks him up. A mirror can make this game fun during independent play too.
4. Harmless Pranks: Yup. We do ‘em. They are boys and love to be scared. Jumping out from around the corner or pretending to fall on them or any sort of ridiculous surprise act that makes them jump results in endless giggles and “Do it again! Do it again!”

Moral of the story: teach your children to laugh. To have fun. To let loose. Today’s world is so busy, we so often forget to relax and enjoy each other. Remember your inner child and enjoy some playtime with your kids. You might just find the one that needed a reminder about this very important value was YOU!

Welcome to the chaos! I’m Katy, the writing Mama behind Chaos & Kiddos: Mommy’s Survival Guide. In between juggling twin toddler boys, a rowdy preteen stepdaughter, a handful of fish, a newly acquired snail and a self-entitled bull dog with my husband of almost 10 years, I work full-time in sales and also run an engagement, wedding and boudoir photography business in Virginia Beach, VA. When I’m not elbows-deep in kiddo crazy, you can find me behind the camera, teaching others basic photography skills or managing The Studio Hampton Roads. Yup, I’m one busy gal! Call me crazy, but life is good. I’m not sure how I manage to keep it all together, but I’ve got a good feeling that my obsessive compulsive disorder and raging perfectionism probably keep me running at the speed of light, however precariously. Check out my blog Chaos & Kiddos: Mommy’s Survival Guide and be sure to follow me on Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin’ | Pinterest | Google+ | and Instagram.

Tell me, how do you instill the value of humor in your kids?

More Posts about Instilling Values in Kids:

• Instilling Values in Our Kids: Introduction
• Instilling Gratitude and Thankfulness
• Instilling Faith in Jesus Christ
• Instilling Kindness – #TackyBoxKindness
• Instilling the Value of Service
• Instilling the Value of Humor
• Teaching Children the Importance of Work
• Have Your Child Plan Their Own Birthday Party
• The Importance of Agency and Making Good Choices
• Honesty and Stealing – Butterfingers and Sticky Fingers
• Developing Girl’s Positive Self-Esteem
• Cleaning up {Life’s} Messes

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