When children are little, it is easy to laugh with them. A funny cartoon, a silly game or a tickle can elicit belly laughs. As they grow older, however, it seems that there is some distance created between children and their parents. The laughter that used to come so easily happens less and less.

In “Want to Connect with Your Teen? Get Them Laughing,” Marybeth Bock says, “When life with our teens gets overwhelming, it’s easy to find ourselves connecting with our kids in mostly negative ways – constantly reminding, nagging, correcting, and disciplining.”

In order to connect in positive ways, through humor and laughter we must make a concerted effort. Laughter is an important and useful tool in forming connections with teens. In fact laughter has lots of benefits.

In the EveryDay Strong Video, “Connect by Laughing,” Jeff Clark, a counselor for Alpine School district, says “Laughter and humor are incredibly important for mental health. Laughter improves health, strengthens shared connections … and creates positive memories.”

Clark goes on to explain in simple terms the science behind the benefits of laughter. He says “Everyone has a mix of chemicals in their body that make us feel sad, stressed, anxious, loving or happy.” He explains that using humor can increase the levels of chemicals that make us feel happy.

“This means you might be able to feel less anxious or stressed when you laugh. … Laughter can help prevent feelings of anxiety and depression in your teenager and yourself,” Clark explains. “It can also help them cope if you’re currently going through something hard.”

When facing a difficult conversation with your teen, laughter can help to lighten the tone. It can also be a powerful way to communicate when your teen isn’t being responsive. Humor will create a much better connection than anger and yelling. Jeff Clark gives some ideas of how to get your child to laugh with you and also a warning not to take things too far.

He says, “The goal is to have a shared experience that makes you both feel good.” To learn more about laughing with your kids, watch the EveryDay Strong Video at https://youtube.com/watch?v=CTzuV7OXejs&list=PL-njo6XDRtC-JH3_EIJtB4jfyuQ0PG_oN&index=8.

United Way of Utah County is on a mission to help every child in our community feel safe, connected, and confident. You can listen to our latest podcast episode at anchor.fm/everydaystrong (or on Apple Podcast and Spotify). Learn more about us at everydaystrong.org.