They say laughter is the best medicine and that certainly is true for surviving family life! No matter what happens, or how hard you try, when you put parents, kids, grandparents and miscellaneous others into a shared space, life is bound to be filled with spills and scrapes, dramas and disasters. How you choose to react to these says a lot about how well you can weather the storm.

Dig deep, find the humour and laugh

No matter how serious the issue may be, from financial to health concerns, lost soothers to a family rift, one of the best ways of coping when things go awry is to dig deep, find the humour and laugh at it.

Laughter has an incredible effect on our brains and our moods. Not only does it actively boost our immune system – which can take a battering during times of stress – but it actually relaxes the whole body, ensuring a healthy and happy you!

My partner suffers with chronic pain and used to fall flat on his face regularly, usually after rising from his seat, and as a family we became quite accustomed to seeing dad prone on the floor. We used to tease him, saying he was making the place look untidy, then step over him to go and put the kettle on! It really helped my children to see the ridiculous side of this situation – he was never hurt as he could control his fall, but it does mean my family have developed a rather black sense of humour around health and illness.

Treat the family to a truly traditional giggle

So how can you bring more laughter into your life? One way is to go to comedy clubs, watch family-friendly comedians on TV and listen to funny plays and stories on the radio. In the age of YouTube, and Video Games, with violence all over the news, actively seeking out the funny and the weird can be a real source of delight. There are still Pantomimes on across the region and there is nothing better than a good old fashioned chorus of ‘He’s Behind You!’, so why not treat the family to a truly traditional giggle this January?

Maybe you have a funny bone that needs developing. Ever thought of taking some classes in Improv Comedy or Stand Up? Even if you never intend to perform, the skills you learn are invaluable in learning how to look at life differently: suddenly every mundane interaction can be mined for comedy gold and your family will love hearing your corny one-liners and endless puns (I promise).

Put the fun back into family this new year!

You could grab some joke books or funny stories and have a Comedy Night in the living room. Dressing up can be really fun and putting on silly voices will have everyone in stitches. Go on, I dare you – pledge to put the fun back into family this new year!

Make 2019 the year of laughter and see what a difference it makes to your life.