New Study Links Dad Jokes to Stronger Emotional Resilience in Children

Dad jokes offer significant psychological benefits, according to new research. Experts advise parents to resist the urge to roll their eyes this Father's Day. Studies indicate these classic gags actively strengthen a child's emotional resilience.

Marc Hye–Knudsen, a humor researcher at Aarhus University, explains the mechanism behind this effect. Fathers build their children's resilience by teasingly challenging their egos without crossing into bullying. This process trains children to withstand negative emotions and maintain impulse control. Consequently, embarrassment is revealed to be a manageable experience rather than a fatal one.

Ahead of the holiday, a poll of 2,000 Brits identified the nation's favorite dad jokes. The seafood diet pun, which claims the speaker sees food and eats it, received 18 per cent of the vote. Most of these jokes rely on puns that are generally inoffensive. While they often elicit polite chuckles or groans, experts urge parents to persist.

Hye–Knudsen states that parental irritation should not stop dads from sharing their traditions. Through painful repetition, jokes eventually become funny again. One day, children may tell these same jokes to their own offspring. This cycle provides concrete evidence that parental input shapes future generations.

The survey, commissioned by Bloom & Wild, found that over half of Brits consider their father the funniest person they know. Beyond the top seafood joke, the list includes 19 other guaranteed chuckles. Other entries include a letter alphabet pun and a joke about skeletons lacking guts.

Jess Henderson, a Gifting Expert at Bloom and Wild, emphasized the holiday's purpose. She noted that Father's Day is the perfect moment to thank dads for their unique humor and unwavering support. These moments allow families to celebrate the specific traits that make fathers unique.