This type of talk understands the power of a joke. As in all joke telling, timing is everything. It’s not good strategy if, when your teenage daughter is in tears because a girlfriend said mean things, you choose that moment to launch into your latest “did you hear the one…” jokes. But there are many times when a joke or a simple, funny statement can break the tension of a situation.
There are also times when the best thing we can do is to laugh at ourselves. Laughter clears the brain for better thinking. My father was a master at using humor to diffuse tension. When things would get tense in our house, he would make an outlandish comment, ask a totally foolish question, or just say something like “Well, I guess that needs some more work” when he couldn’t get something to go the way he wanted.
In order to do this, you have to be willing to back up and let the situation in front of you settle into perspective. Sometimes when you step back, you can see humor in the situation. Just be very careful that your humor is NEVER at the expense of someone else, particularly your teen. You are making light of a situation, not making fun of someone.
It’s usually best if you use humor to not take yourself too seriously. Making a little fun at your own expense is a great lesson to teach your teen.
We are providing a chart with certain typical teen behaviors and a space for you to decide what “type of talk” you want to try in response. It may get you thinking as you read through the types and topics. Click here to download the chart.
