Humor

15 Clever ways to convince your kids to shut up

Sherri Kuhn — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:00:00 -0700

Got kids? Then you know how much they talk. We spend the early months of their lives encouraging that first word, a simple sentence or even just a babble. Truth is, once they start they just keep talking. And talking. We have a few ideas to help you get some peace and quiet. You’re welcome.

An age-by-age guide to screwing up your kids

Sherri Kuhn — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Sure, we all want to be perfect parents — at least some of the time, anyway. For all those times you made him the perfect crust-less peanut butter sandwich or reminded her to say “please,” there is also the seedier side of parenting. Those moments we leave out of the scrapbook and don’t admit to in a Facebook status update.

Listen and Laugh: National Humor Month

Candace of Beth Fish Reads — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:05:00 -0700

April starts off with foolish jokes, and the fun doesn't end there. Breeze through the cruelest month by listening to three great comedians read their entertaining memoirs. Turn on your MP3 player and get ready to laugh out loud.

How to find the humor in infertility

Tonya Wertman — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0700

Mortifying at first, laughing at infertility can be extremely helpful!

The frazzled mommy's top 10 New Year's resolutions

Naomi de la Torre — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 08:00:00 -0800

It’s that time again — time to make a list of New Year's resolutions that we won’t manage to keep past this time next week. Whether we resolve to lose enough weight to fit into our high school jeans or overcome our obsession with expensive shoes, we all fall into the resolution trap.

Are you a worry wart?

Lisa Steinke — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:00:00 -0800

Admit it, you've asked your child's doctor a question you knew was crazy, but you just had to ask anyway. Well, you're not alone. When Parents Worry is a hilarious collection of the most unbelievable inquiries pediatrician Dr. Henry Anderson has received over the years from freaked-out moms and dads.

A spectrum of Grey

Allison Ziering Walmark — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:30:00 -0700

Christian Grey — yes, that Christian Grey — has autism. How do I know? Well, for starters, I’ve read the Fifty Shades trilogy at least five times, so in addition to making me one of the more pathetic people in this world, it also makes be an armchair expert on the comings and goings of Christian Grey.

Funniest mom blogs

Stephanie Precourt — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:00:00 -0800

These five moms will crack you up and have you laughing out loud -- what they write is so funny 'cause it's true. Motherhood can be one really long comedy sketch, and we're all waiting for the punch line.

When not to use humor with your child

Jen Klein — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:15:00 -0700

You’re a fun mom, a funny mom, a silly mom with an infectious laugh. You are expert at using humor to diffuse tense situations with your kids and create a happy home. You have worked hard to help your children develop a good sense of humor, a tool that will help them in life. But guess what? There are times when humor is not appropriate. There are times when you should most definitely not use humor in your parenting.

The healing power of laughter

Jen Klein — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:07:00 -0700

We all know the adage “laughter is the best medicine.” In situations of illness, injury and emotional hurts, carefully applied humor can help manage the stress and start the psyche at least on a healing path. It’s a simple and complex topic all at once, obvious and subtle. And when trying to help your kids develop appropriate senses of humor, this is a key point you want to make and reiterate -- and use.

Monday Mom challenge: Laugh

Jen Klein — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:30:00 -0700

No doubt about it, being a mom is serious business. There’s so much responsibility, so much to worry about, so much to do that it can feel hard to find the fun in the daily grind. Oh, but how much it eases your mood when you find yourself making funny faces with your little one! Buy into that, cherish that -- make time for that every day. Every day, make time and find ways to laugh.

How to give your child the gift of humor

Jen Klein — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:33:00 -0700

Most of us hope our children will grow up with a good sense of humor to help them cope with life. But how do you do that? Children aren’t born with fully developed senses of humor, even if they do have distinct personalities from the start. Kids learn humor and the depth of that sense of humor evolves over time. How do you begin instill a sense of humor in your child? Start with simple laughter.

How to have an anti-Valentine’s Day date

Laura Willard — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:00:00 -0800

I doubt I’m the only woman who doesn’t get all mushy over Valentine’s Day. Sure, a lot of women expect a lot – or at least something -- on Valentine’s Day, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But some of us aren’t fans of this Hallmark holiday. That doesn’t mean we need to skip it altogether, though. Following are a few ideas for an anti-Valentine’s Day date night…at home!

Instilling an appropriate sense of humor in your kids

Jen Klein — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:35:00 -0800

What can pass for a sense of humor lately -- snark and sarcasm -- often isn’t so funny. It’s typically sassy, disrespectful, borderline humor. While that kind of humor has its place, hopefully it’s not the only sense of humor your child has. Hopefully you’ve done a little work to teach about and be an example for truly joyous and respectful humor. If not , there’s no time like the present to get laughing.

Dealing with your kids’ snark

Jen Klein — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:31:00 -0800

Just about every mom has had to deal with it at some point -- or will. You child speaks to you with a huge helping of snark. Whether it takes you by surprise or is par for the course, does it need to be addressed? Is it just sass? Is it humor? Is it a bad attitude? Did they learn by example? How should it be addressed? When you are trying to raise kids to be respectful but also have a sense of humor, sometimes this scenario can be a challenge. A little bit of snark and sarcasm may have its place in your home, but how much, when and why need to be addressed.

Should you be using sarcasm as a parenting strategy?

Jen Klein — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:22:00 -0800

As new parents, we read books about baby and child care, read about discipline strategies and considered the examples we wanted to set for our newborn offspring. Over time, however, some parenting strategies flew out the window and in flew some default behaviors from our adult lives. Behaviors like snark and sarcasm -- tools of humor in the grown-up world -- became de facto parenting strategies at home, whether we really considered them as such or not. And then it even seemed like fun!

Mind-body connection: The psychology of healing

Laura Carson Miller — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 08:19:00 -0800

What does being healed mean to you? How much does the mind truly affect your ability to recover after an illness, undergoing surgery or suffering a loss? The mind-body connection has been studied and documented for many years. Research shows that a correlation between the desire to heal and actual healing exists -- and can be enhanced if the mind is engaged in a positive way toward that goal. Here’s more on how you can use your mind to heal your body.

How to look like a Jersey Shore guidette

Lauren Swanson — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:00:00 -0700

Jersey Shore season 2 premiered in all its faux-tanned, pretentious, fist-pumping glory. Somewhere between the acrylic nails and JWoww’s breasts, we couldn’t help but wonder: How on earth does one look so gorgeously classy? See below to get your Jersey Shore guidette on.

Today's Family Man: Halloween Haywire

Gregory Keer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Halloween is a great opportunity for grownups to have as much fun as their kids. But the kids might have their own ideas... Enjoy this Halloween Humor from Today's Family Man.

'Twas the night before Halloween

Lisa Barker — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

'Twas the night before Halloween and all through the place not a candy was left how could Momma save face?

Funniest dad videos

Molly Cerreta Smith — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:58:00 -0700

Dads are always good for a laugh. No matter how old you are, sharing a laugh with your father is an important element of your relationship. Meet 12 dads who are willing to totally humiliate themselves for the sake of a good chuckle. After all, what are dads for?