We did a family night lesson tonight about what is funny and what is not. My goal was to try and clean up the incessant flinging and giggling of bathroom words, as well as discouraging laughing at people in different kinds of situations. For some reason, for example, Engineer occasionally laughs at overweight people. I don’t want him to do that.
So the lesson went down like this: I gave an example and then asked the children if it was something to be considered humorous.
Me: If someone tells a joke, is that funny?
Kids: Uh-huh
Me: If some orange cones fall of the back of a truck is that funny? (This happened the other day and Engineer found it hilarious).
Kids: Yep
People in wheelchairs? No. Watching someone fall down? No. Silly faces? Yes. Clowns? Yes. Clowns getting hurt? No. And so on and so forth.
And then I made the mistake of asking them if farts were funny.
What I had meant to say was "is talking about bathroom words funny?" but what I said was, "Are farts funny?" And as soon as it came out, the laughter started.
Mine especially.
I could not help it. You cannot deny that farts are the funniest thing ever. The word fart (I’m laughing as I type it) the sound of a fart, the idea of a fart. Everything about the gas we pass gives reason to chuckle.
Charming looked at me incredulously and said to the children, "What mommy means is that Mommy is a hypocrite."
I think he was laughing on the inside, because the math is there proving it all. Fart=Funny. Anyone who says otherwise…. well… there isn’t anyone like that, I’m sure.



I’m a hypocrite too. I don’t want farts to be funny– I don’t want my 2-year-old to yell “HE TOOTED,” every time someone makes a strange noise, but it is funny.
Comment by Renaedujour — May 22, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
I gave up long ago on trying to stifle the chuckle. Farts are funny. That’s all there is to it. Now I concentrate on how impolite they are. Much easier argument to make. And you can still say it while laughing
Comment by ktjrdn — May 23, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
there is just no denying it.
Comment by emily — May 23, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
I’m only sorry that I ever taught my Youngest to say “excuse me” when he farts. Now, he says it whenever he farts, even if no one would have known. It’s like having a fart chart.
Comment by patois — May 23, 2008 @ 9:05 pm
Fart Chart! A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Tee hee…
Comment by Steph — May 26, 2008 @ 3:10 am
Ha! I laughed out loud at you laughing at asking if farts are funny. Even reading about farts is funny. Also, patois fart chart comment just made me giggle even more.
Comment by Rachael — May 28, 2008 @ 2:38 am