Laughter & Connected Play

I recently came across this article about the benefits of laughter in a relationship. Although the article was about romantic relationships and marriage, the principles apply equally to your relationship with your child:

“Uniquely human, laughter is, first and foremost, a social signal–it disappears when there is no audience, which may be as small as one other person–and it binds people together. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned…

Laughter establishes–or restores–a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, who literally take pleasure in the company of each other.”

In other words, laughing together is the quintessential connected play (or attunement play). My kids are partial to funny voices. What do you do for a laugh at your house?

* Other posts about connected play:

Play Is the Thing – Don’t Forget to Have Some Fun
Reconnecting After You’ve Been Away – Baby Play

"Connected Parenting advises us not just how to parent, but—far more important—who to be as parents. The therapeutic methods suggested by Jennifer Kolari are based not on simple-minded behavioural solutions, but on building warm, nurturing relationships with our children, with insight and compassion not only for their little flaws, but also for our own larger ones."
—Gabor Maté, M.D.

"A must read for parents, educators, and any other adults who want to connect in a deeply caring and positive way with the children in their lives."
—Barbara Coloroso