Dear Friends,
 
Today's topic is one of my favorites--if there is one thing we need as homeschoolers, it is humor!  It soothes the heart, fires up the brain, and, like Mary Poppins' spoonful of sugar, helps the learning go down ... right into the long-term memory!

According to recent studies on the brain, here are just a few benefits of laughter (an outcome of humor):            

• lower physical and mental stress
• increased memory
• increased attention levels
• increased optimism
• greater creativity

Wow! Isn't that amazing?

So, with all these benefits of laughter in mind, how do we develop our family's funny bone? I'm glad you asked. You see, this is a subject I've studied for about thirty years, ever since my little boy needed my help in telling a joke.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Make it a habit to read funny books out loud. Whether you read stories like Hank the Cowdog or joke books like The Best of the Good Clean Jokes, your kids will hear great examples of humor--and you all will get the opportunity to laugh until your sides hurt.
2. Teach your children about puns.  Puns are the basis of many great jokes, but little children often don't understand how this works. So, take this Knock Knock joke and explain it.
   
   

   "Knock, knock."

   "Who's there?"

   "Banana."

   "Banana who?"

   "Knock, knock."

   "Who's there?"

   "Banana."

   "Banana who?"

   "Knock, knock."

   "Who's there?"

   "Orange?"

   "Orange who?"

   "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"
    

   Everyone laughs. Except little Susie. So, you explain to her that the word "orange" sounds a bit like "aren't you" when you say it quickly. Keep working with her until she makes the connection and starts to laugh!  Then explain to her that substituting "orange" for "aren't you" is what we call a PUN.  
    
   From this starting point, encourage your kids to start making their own puns. The humor in your home will bring a huge increase of daily laughter, and your children's ability to find humor in words will grow exponentially.
3. Help your kids memorize a few favorite jokes. There is something empowering about having some never-fail jokes stored in your brain, whether you are a child or an adult. Here's one of our family's favorites:
   
   
   "Do you know what the Spanish fireman named his two sons?""No.""Jos� and Hose B."  (Sounds like "Hose A and Hose B.")

Finally, I would like to point out that healthy humor in the family has these characteristics:

• It does not demean or disrespect others.
• It invites everyone into the joke.
• Everyone needs to feel safe--no making fun of the one who didn't get the joke.
• It's okay to try to make a joke and have it not succeed. Practice makes funny!

Remember, stay relational!

Diana

dianawaringpresents@gmail.com
 

P.S. If you need help in increasing the humor in your homeschool, check out my Hilarious Homeschool Workshop on CD. It includes the victory of humor, how to tell a joke, how to make a safe environment, ideas for locating side-splitting situations, and more anecdotes and giggles than you can shake a snake at. (That's a joke--if you didn't get it, then you need this recording.)