World Latter Day, because laughing is good for a child
Laughter is good, science says it. On the occasion of the world day of laughter we asked Claudio Mencacci, psychiatrist, how and why it is important to stimulate it in children from very young, without ever forcing them, creating a climate in which they can feel welcomed and become better adults
Laughing is good for body and mind. Numerous scientific studies have shown it over the years. Laughter acts not only on good humor, but also on the immune system, on memory, it improves sleep and stretches life since, we have seen, it acts on longevity. On the occasion of the World Laughter Day that occurs on May 5thlet’s find out together with Claudio Mencacci, psychiatrist and president of the Italian society of neuropsychopharmacology How and why parents should teach the art of laughing at their children.
Laughing improves ties between people
“Pablo Neruda said that laughter is the language of the soul. This makes us understand how our whole life is accompanied by this profound emotion -continues Mencacci -. LAUGH In early childhood it provides for an imitative action, thanks to the development of mirror neurons. It is precisely these who manage to make us feel empathy and connection with others. When in a group we see someone laughing, we spontaneously do it in turn, even in cases where we ignore the reason for those laughter. This is because an automatic mechanism that brings you will activate in the brain will be a reward. In fact, a biological mechanism is set in motion through which Endorfine, dopamine and oxytocin are released. These neurotransmitters strengthen the link between people and at the same time increase the pleasure of being together ».
Laughter: why teach it to children
Laughter is contagious and Laughing together is a push to build social ties. « The love ties are also marked by rice: the beginning of the relationship is marked by shared laughter, just as the end of a love is characterized by not doing it more together -underlines Mencacci -. LAUGH Create connection, closeness, sets our social brain in motion and activates emotional harmony. There is a shared humor that varies from one area to the other in the world, since it is strongly influenced by culture. Yet the saying exists: « Rice abounds on the mouth of the fools », which associates laughter with a sense of superficiality and banality. While parents should teach their children to laugh from an early age. AND important for emotional development, to download anxiety and fears And it is the form of our emotional communication. Laughter helps children to create a group, to make friends to build ties and at the same time it is the basis of learning».
Laughter and resilience
«A more serene child Learn more easily and creates a more flexible way of thinking. This allows him to find new solutions, to be ironic and self-ironic, develop positive emotions and create an equally positive emotional memory that encourages him. The It helps to look to the future with serene eyes. Knowing how to laugh, in fact, allows you to develop a certain resilience, able to build prospects. On the contrary, if the brain sees only negativity stops, he chooses information that leads him to perceive only difficulties. Resilience means that As big, the child will have the opportunity to live even hard moments with more lightness, To find better solutions and know how to smile on dark days. This is the sense of resilience: it helps not only in emotional evolution, but also in mental and cognitive health. That’s why we have to stimulate laughter in children ».
How to stimulate laughter in children
It is important that children are encouraged to laugh. This does not mean to force them or invite them to superficiality, but to train them to know how to grasp their notices and find relief in difficult moments. “They can stimulate with games or draw on their ability to fantasizealso creating stories of non -sense. Children love disguises, which can be improvised with clothing in the house. All this is also important to lower their sense of shyness and stimulate their creativity. Laughter generates a climate of security and acceptancein which the child feels free and welcomed and in which he can overcome the error without shame. On the contrary, feeling criticized and judged when it makes mistakes embitters him a lot. Laughing is the common thread to create empathy towards the other « , he concludes.
