How can laughing together strengthen the emotional bond between me and my child?

Laughing together reduces stress and increases oxytocin, a hormone that strengthens bonds. It fosters emotional safety, shared memories, and inside jokes. Laughing with your child, rather than at them, creates an environment where happiness is accepted and bonds are strengthened. Additionally, humour can diffuse tension and transform discipline into a relational rather than reactive process. Crucially, laughing with your child rather than at them promotes dignity and connection. Humour can gently defuse tension and allow you to correct behaviour without resorting to fear or shame. Even during discipline, a well-timed smile or light-hearted moment can communicate that you are still emotionally present and loving. A giggle after a tantrum, a funny bedtime voice, or a spontaneous game signal to your child: ‘We are still connected, no matter what.’ In this way, Joy shared is trust deepened.