Humor May Be the Secret to Stronger Parent-Child Bonds, Study Finds

Laughter can work wonders, even in the darkest times—and a good guffaw might just be the key to building stronger parent-child relationships too.

A new study published in the scientific journal PLOS One suggests that parents who use humor aren’t just creating joyful moments; they’re also laying the groundwork for stronger, healthier relationships with their children.

In the study 312 adults aged 18 to 45 reflected on whether their parents used humor and how they felt about those experiences now. The results were eye-opening: over 70% of participants saw humor as an effective tool in parenting, and a striking 63% of those with strong relationships with their parents recalled being raised by parents who embraced humor.

Study author Dr. Benjamin Levi, a professor of pediatrics and humanities at Penn State, shared insights into the power of humor in parenting, highlighting its connections to cognitive flexibility, stress relief, and resilience. Reflecting on his own father’s effective use of humor, Levi noted that it was very effective. “I use humor in my clinical practice and with my own children. The question became, how does one constructively use humor,” he added.

In the study, participants overwhelmingly agreed that humor has more benefits than drawbacks in parenting. In fact, many parents expressed interest in a course on using humor effectively with kids—a testament to its perceived value in fostering resilience, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills.

While this study marks an early exploration into humor as a parenting tool, it opens the door for future research into the different ways humor can enrich parent-child relationships. The findings suggest that a good laugh could be more than just fun; it might be the key to building lifelong connections with our kids.