There are many different strategies and techniques to handle the various situations that come up as a parent but without a doubt, laughter is the best medicine as well as an effective coping strategy for all. Laughter and humor will help to diffuse any situation and has physical benefits as well. Here’s some positive benefits of parenting with a positive spin as well as some tips to incorporate more laughter into your parenting strategy.
Physical Benefits of Laughter
Laughter helps to relieve physical stress and tension, which leaves your body feeling more relaxed afterwards. A good laugh also gets your heart pumping and gives your lungs a workout too. Not only that, but laughing burns up calories making it an effective part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
When we laugh, our bodies release endorphins, which make us feel good and give us a sense of wellbeing. Laughter also reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body, which carry all kinds of health risks. Reducing your stress hormone levels may also boost the performance of your immune system. Laughing more is a great way for the family to stay healthy together.
Laughter Strengthens Relationships
When people laugh together, it strengthens their relationship. If you routinely share laughter and humor with your kids, it helps your family to grow closer. Not only that, but laughter encourages people to work together as a team and helps to settle conflict peacefully. Your kids will feel more connected to you if you share laughter and will be all the more motivated to do what you want them to because of that improved feeling of closeness.
Humor also helps to diffuse stress during times when you are feeling overwhelmed. By making laughter a part of your everyday life, both you and your family can maintain a more positive outlook and healthy attitude.
How to Bring More Laughter into Your Life
It’s very easy to make laughter a part of your parenting routine, because every kid loves to laugh and have a good time. If your kids have a hard time getting excited about cleaning up after themselves, come up with an encouraging activity or game to play while you clean. This will encourage them to participate and help out, rather than just doing it to avoid getting into trouble.
When someone behaves badly and it’s time to get tough, try to focus on the positive aspects of the situation rather than the negative. Your kids may be more inclined to stay in bed at night if you talk to them about some of the fun things that might happen the following day, rather than focusing on how much trouble they’ll be in if they don’t fall asleep.
Not only does laughter help to keep you and your family healthy and stress free, it also encourages your kids to behave better and enjoy life more which is an excellent life lesson. The times your family spend laughing together are the times your kids will fondly remember as they get older and begin their own families. If you keep on encourage them to stay positive, they’ll pass that outlook down to their own kids in the future.
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