Humour is an efficient parenting tool to connect with your child: Study

Humour is a great way for parents to bond with their children. It can also be an efficient parenting tool. Phil and Luke Dunphy from Modern Family may just be the best example of a fun father-son duo with their wholesome antics throughout the show. Their inside jokes and trying new, random things together brought them closer to the audience’s hearts.
A study published in the journal PLOS delved deep into the concept of humour in parenting for the first time and how it can be efficient. Humour brings the parents and child closer, helps to connect and foster a healthy relationship where the child feels safe and can open up more.
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The researchers from Penn State University found that humour enriches children’s upbringing and makes them fun. It also positively affects the child’s cognitive abilities. Benjamin Levi, senior author of the study, elaborated, “Humor can teach people cognitive flexibility, relieve stress, and promote creative problem-solving and resilience.” Good humour has a definite benefit for the child’s mental development.
The study examined 312 participants aged 18 to 45 through a survey, and over half of them were raised by parents who used humour. Of these,71.8% believed that humour is indeed an effective parenting tool. Good humour also breaks down the potential hierarchy setup between parent and child. Humour helps approach stressful situations with a lighter tone. It allows the parent to engage with the child as a friend rather than an intimidating authority figure.
Author Lucy Emery said, “There’s an interesting parallel between business and parenting, which are both hierarchical. In business, humour has been shown to help reduce hierarchies, create better environments for collaboration and creativity and diffuse tension. While parent-child relationships are more loving than business relationships, stressful situations happen a lot when parenting. Humour can help diffuse that tension and hierarchy and help both parties feel better about a stressful situation.”
So, don’t be afraid to throw in a dad joke or two. Your children may secretly even like them despite their overt protests.
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