Children are great at spontaneous laughter, laughing hundreds of times a day, while the average adult laughs about 20 times a day.

Laughter is great for our well-being, it has been shown to reduce stress,strengthen our immune system and even relieve some physical pain. You may remember hearing about Norman Cousins, who developed a recovery program incorporating megadoses of Vitamin C, along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films. “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported.

Here are some family friendly suggestions for adding more laughter:

1. Watch funny movies, television shows, or videos.  Find old comedies, sitcoms or cartoons that you grew up with. Some classics include, “I Love Lucy” and “The Carol Burnett Show.” There’s also, “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Search the web and YouTube for funny animal/pet videos. **Parents, it is advised that you find and preview for appropriateness, movies, videos and photos, without your children.

2. Find funny family photos or take some new ones wearing costumes or themed clothing, or using your expressions or acting silly.

3. When watching television together, watch the commercials and see if you can find something to laugh about.

4. Read the comics together, looking closely at the pictures and expressions of the people and animals.

5. Go to the library or a book store and look for joke books for kids.

6. Post something funny to look at on the refrigerator.

7. Have each family member seek out something funny to look at each day, it could be a photo, a comic strip, a greeting card, a drawing or a figurine.  Keep it by your bedside or in the bathroom where you can see it first thing in the morning and just before you go to sleep.  Just don’t try brushing your teeth while you are laughing, that could make a mess, although it may make for a great photo!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis