How important is it to laugh together as a family?

Well, according to Forbes.com laughter releases endorphins in our brain. These endorphins not only increase our sense of well being, but also promotes a sense of togetherness and safety. Isn’t that amazing?! Just simply laughing together more as a family can increase your child’s sense of security and feeling of belonging. I would say that is good enough reason to intentionally invite more laughter into your home. You may be thinking, but I’m just not funny…how can I help my family laugh more if i’m not funny? Fear not, I have put together a list of 5 simple things you can do to infuse more laughter into your family this week. So, take a deep breath…you can do this!

1. Find Humor In The Small Things

   Let me tell you some silly examples of the weirdness in our home:

   • After pouring my son cereal one morning, there were no spoons in the drawer…so instead I grabbed the ice cream scooper that was in the drawer and stuck it in his cereal. I then walked away without making eye contact and waited for a response. When I turned around there was a big smile on my sons face, and he chuckled…”moooommm.” He also then proceeded to get really irritated by my silliness, even though he thought initially it was funny! But… his pre teen angst is running real high these days, and I will not come down!

   • Randomly pull pranks on your kids or on your guests. My kids have been known to hide plastic spiders/snakes in the beds of our visiting out of town family. Muahahaha. Thus, my sister has also returned the favor by short sheeting our beds when we were in town visiting them. (If you don’t know how to short sheet, click HERE, you’re welcome.)

   • Simply write a joke on a napkin and put it in their lunchbox. Or to even make it more simple for you click HERE for free printable Christmas jokes by www.kristendukephotography.com/

2. Participate In House Dance Parties!

   • Depending on the age of your kids they will either think your dance moves are the best moves ever, or their worst nightmare. Haha! May the odds be ever in your favor.

   • Have your kids teach you to floss or to do the latest dance craze. If they won’t teach you, youtube it and surprise them by learning it!

   • Up your dance party game by purchasing some rad strobe lights!

3. Laugh And Be Silly With Your Spouse

   • If your kids see you modeling lighthearted behavior, chances are they will learn it too!

   • My favorite thing to do is to depants my husband while he reads the mail, washes dishes, or brushes his teeth. It’s just this ongoing silliness between us (that I am rarely successful at) that causes us to continually laugh together. Also, I don’t do this when the kids are in the room…but if they are one room over, it’s fair game. The kids don’t know what happened, they just see mom and dad laughing together.

   • We have also unintentionally gotten into food fights together in the kitchen. While making sandwiches one day, my husband walked in and I decided to try and peg him in the face with a slice of bread. Is this weird? The bread skimmed his face and he threw it back of course hitting me square in the face. Why can I never win?! Our kids usually look at us in shock, but it’s also hilarious to see the amazed look on their faces. Yes kids, parents can have fun too!

4. Ask Each Other At The Dinner Table, What Made You Laugh Today?

   • Everyone can do this, right?! Usually, it was a brother who did something silly…and then we all get to giggle about it together!

5. Watch Funny Videos Together

   • Americas Funniest Home Videos…(kids love it!)

   • YouTube Funny Animal Videos

   • The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (this is great for preteens/teens)

     • Robert Irwin (Crocodile Hunters son) brings on exotic animals that scare Jimmy.

     • Silly Skits

     • Funny Games

     • Singing Challenges

I’m curious, what would you add to this list? Please tell…I want to laugh at your weirdness too!