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Comedy or Immaturity?
How and Why Boys Use Humor to Communicate
By Gina Roberts-Grey
Ironically, many teenage boys also find measuring the resonance and stamina of their bodily functions to be a viable means of comparing their strength, virility and abilities. Much to the chagrin of a family member or friend in close proximity, this typical behavior is often demonstrated by young men throughout late adolescence and even into early adulthood.
Educators often have mixed feelings about boys who seek to capture the attention of classmates by drawing funny pictures, making silly faces or cracking jokes during quiet reading. Although teachers are pleased to see a child who demonstrates confidence and feels comfortable in his surroundings, they generally find humor in the classroom to be distracting. "It usually seems that the boys are the ones who start a giggling match," says Barbara Pietschman, first grade teacher and mother of one son. "They're more inclined to shout out a silly answer just for the response of the other students regardless if they know the correct answer or not."
The all-around silly, sweet, kind-hearted young boy who loves to make people laugh regardless of the situation or circumstance, a natural-born joker, the jester is usually the most comfortable with his humor. He's not afraid to tell a joke in the middle of a religious ceremony or show off his prowess for burping his name. He loves an audience and the chance to make everyone from his grandparents to his next-door neighbor laugh. This boy may not worry about who's laughing at his jokes – as long as he's making someone laugh, he knows he's making a connection.
Although it is typical for boys to use humor in their everyday verbal and body language, they sill must remain cautious of crossing the line between cracking a joke and hurting someone's feelings. "It is easy for boys to go too far when playfully teasing a sibling, parent or friend," says Melodie Parrish, MSW. Unfortunately, humor can cross the line to bullying or taunting.
