Your 3-Year-Old: Yuck It Up

Yuck It Up

Research has shown that children who like a good laugh are more creative, have higher self-esteem, and get along better with peers. Nonsense songs, animal sounds, and lots of crazy gestures bring out a child's giggles — and that's good. 小馨喜歡一些怪怪聲音，這些聲音都可以逗得她很開心....早上看Micky Monse時，我們發現唐老鴨的聲音很沙啞、又聽不出來牠講什麼話，只覺得很好笑，果然小馨就樂起來了，自己也在哈哈笑不停。Taking advantage of your child's sense of humor can help make hard days run more smoothly.

Your 3-year-old now
Funny-sounding words or names, rhymes, and silly songs amuse young children endlessly — they're fun to pronounce and sound delightfully "wrong." To cultivate your child's sense of humor (which, incidentally, is thought to be learned, not inherited), try these ideas:


Call things by the wrong name (when your child knows the right one). Say something like, "That doggie is meowing!"
故意說錯一些人名、將兒歌亂哼一通唱給她聽，小馨一定覺得好笑，而且還會糾正我們，不過等到她知道我們是故意的之後，她反而玩得比我們厲害，自己也會create一些好笑的錯誤！
Play with the sounds of words. Your child may make up silly rhymes like "I love Mommy wommy grommy."
Play dumb. Say, "Now where are my glasses? I can't find my glasses anywhere!" when they're right on top of your head.
Make "mistakes." Try to put your child's socks on his hands or his pants on his arms.
故意犯錯也是可以導致笑點！故意裝做baby吸手指頭....不曉得她會有什麼反應...

Your preschooler loves this kind of humor because getting the joke allows him to feel smart and "big." Taking a moment to be silly can grease the wheels of cooperation on days when you're running late or dealing with dawdling.

Your life now
Being around a 3-year-old isn't always a comedy routine. When tantrums, nonstop action, or other patience-testers wear you down, try 5-7-8 breathing: Breathe in deeply for a count of five, hold your breath for a count of seven, and then slowly exhale for a count of eight. Repeat this four or five times (with your eyes closed if you're in a position to take your eyes off your child for that long) and you're apt to find yourself calmer. (Not more rested, but at least calmer!)