My Children are NOT funny!

My Boys have always shown a unique and personal sense of humour; at times completely different to one another.

William has always enjoyed the slapstick side of comedy. Somebody gets hurt, falls over or is hit and they seem ok after, he will let out a laugh. The worst part is that he has the dirtiest laugh going!

An example of this is when we went shopping recently:

William and I were on my mobility scooter (I know, cool right?) heading to the shops. There is a small pathway towards the precinct that, ideally, is only wide enough for two people to comfortably walk through. We enter the path and there is a rather large lady walking in front of us. I swerve to the left and can’t get past. I swerve to the right and still can’t get past. Realising I cannot do anything I slowly pull back and show some patience. William though starts laughing, and it gets louder and louder, dirtier and dirtier. When we get through I ask what was funny, hoping that it isn’t derogatory, his response: “it didn’t matter what you did, you just couldn’t get past”

Now before you think that I have somehow formed a level of discrimination into my children, I haven’t. Both boys are always polite, caring and will help anyone. As stated above, if the person is not ok or if it is something that cannot be helped (like a disability) then they don’t laugh, point or mock. In the above example William wasn’t laughing because the lady was fat but more at the fact that I couldn’t get past, whatever I tried. (The scenario was funny not the person)

James has a different sense of humour. His relies on words and word play. Despite James’ young age (4) he loves a funny word.

We were watching a film the other day and a character was called a “mule” James laughed for quite a while. One of those laughs that half way through laughing he would whisper the word ‘mule’ and laugh a little more.

Now this is fabulous and I hope we can all relate somehow with our own humour or through the parenting fact and know what our children find funny.

I do have a problem though:

My kids are not funny!

It is becoming quite annoying when I know that they are trying to be funny but in truth what they say just isn’t!

For Example:

Child: “Daddy, what do you get when you cross a Banana and a Dog?”……”BananaDog” (Then follows the high pitch hilarious laughter that fills the room.)

Or

Child: “Daddy, what do you get when you cross a Wolf and a tree?”

Me: “Let me guess, Wolftree?”

Child: “No! SausageShoes”

(Followed by laughter)

How is this funny??

I, of course, laugh and tell them how funny they are. Yet, it isn’t funny!

Here though lies the problem:

I laugh and congratulate them on being ever so funny. So they, at this point, are filled with the comedic glow that warms their soul and then for the next half an hour all I hear is “Daddy what do you get when you cross” and insert two random objects that eventually combine to make one object.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I will always encourage and support their ability for developing their individual humour but after a constant barrage of “jokes” it really gets a bit tiresome. One would imagine that it’s the same feeling as going to a Des O’Conner stand up!

I totally get that it’s just the next stage of development. Once children understand a concept, they take great joy in playing with it. Two-year-olds who are beginning to master the intricacies of language will giggle uncontrollably when they hear a combination of words and nonsense syllables. They understand that the nonsense syllables are different from the words. The sounds are out of place.

But consider that, in our sleep deprived state, we have probably encouraged this as I know many parents who use random objects to make their child laugh; other things that are out of place will get the same laughter from 2-year-olds, for they are learning that there is an order to the world. Placing a sock on a foot is not funny. Placing it on an ear is hysterical to 2-year-olds because they realize that it does not belong there. They share their mastery of that knowledge through laughter. So I am guessing the combination of words do the same.

I do have a little hope though;

William (6) is starting to grow a little intellectually and his jokes are forming a little better; despite being a rare occasion!

We recently had “Daddy, what do you say to a cow with now legs?”……”Moooooove”

In the meantime though I will just continue to laugh at what they are laughing at with their unique sense of humour and hope they improve on their joke telling skills.

Do your children come up with their own jokes? Are they funny?

Is it just me? Or are they not funny when they come to joke telling?