Some people have a natural tendency towards humour and when it comes to kids, that’s such an asset. When I was a teacher, one school I worked in had a book in the staff room for recording all the funny things the children came out with. Another school asked ‘What makes you laugh?’ as one of their interview questions. Humour and children go together so well.
When things get hard and we’re overloaded it can be easy to lose our sense of humour. It’s ironic because humour has a protective element to it that makes life easier and more enjoyable. It’s good for us and it’s good for our children.
Great teachers know this instinctively. The fun ones enthuse children, bring them onside and make it so much easier to learn. I remember a really funny teacher who taught a topic I had no interest in to begin with, but he kept me engaged and interested because what he had to say was so fun. It turned into one of my favourite lessons.
Research shows that laughter is really important for children. It helps them release tension and reduce stress. It brings them closer to their caregivers and helps them feel more connected. It makes sense – we all know that having a good laugh helps us feel better.
If we’ve lost sight of these protective elements and having a laugh feels like the last thing we want to do, it’s easy to bring it back. We can make an active choice to embrace it. I once had a child in my class who I was finding hard work. Instead of getting irritated, I decided to find their behaviour funny. It worked. In fact, it worked so well that I became really fond of them and missed them greatly when they moved on. It could have been so different if I hadn’t made that simple decision.
Humour and laughter applies to all areas of life. I know someone who can turn even the most annoying situations into something fun. Once on a train journey the foldaway table kept falling down towards her. Instead of getting irritated, she found this ever more hilarious the more it happened. It made for a great train journey. I don’t think I could ever have that much tolerance but I found her attitude inspiring and it’s something I draw upon from time to time – to turn ‘annoying’ into ‘funny’.
It’s a great boon when it comes to parenting. As well as being less draining it can be more energising. It’s something our children will appreciate us for too – they instinctively love it. If we can offer them a bit of lightness and humour done sensitively and respectfully, they’ll respond to it. It models resilience too.
We might have different senses of humour but we can all find things that are fun. It might take a small effort to get started, but then you’ll probably wonder why you didn’t do this before.
Oak and Acorn 
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