We have all experienced the benefits of good, hearty laughter. Laughter is linked to many health advantages including lower blood pressure, reduction of certain stress hormones, an improved immune system, increased memory, alertness and creativity, to name just a few. If laughter is good for individuals, it must be good for building a healthy family. Families that laugh together also tend to be happy, healthy families that enjoy being together and support each other in fun times and hard times.
A day in the life of most families is filled with the tasks of daily life - preparing healthy lunches and snacks, going to school and work, washing clothes, driving to extracurricular activities. Who has time for fun? Busy as we are, it is worth figuring out how to build some fun into your family's life on a regular basis. It may be singing silly songs in the car or telling jokes while you wait for your food at a restaurant, but it is worth being intentional about finding times to laugh together. Here are a few ideas to laugh more and build a happy & healthy family.
How to Laugh More with Your Kids
- Be silly. Make exaggerated mistakes and let your child correct you. "This is a shirt? I thought it was called a zirt!" Or call the dog by the cat's name, and let your child set you straight.
- Read funny books. Children often find incongruity funny (a lion who likes the library, for example). They also enjoy books that include the fun of wordplay and silly rhyming.
Source: Bright Horizons
