The definition of a dad joke in a research context is the entire interaction between the child and the father, but can be more easily described as something a little clever that often contains a form of wordplay.
It can be subtle and a little embarrassing, the "shameful" is an important ingredient, says Anna Sarkadi, professor of social medicine at Uppsala University, who has researched fathers' involvement.
– Father research has existed for a while, but at an international psychological conference on child development a few years ago, fathers' playfulness was highlighted, with particular emphasis on their playfulness.
Social development
According to Anna Sarkadi, being exposed to the slightly stupid and "shameful" is socially developmental in itself and intellectually stimulating even for young children.
It helps the child to evaluate what is funny and what is not, and develop their sense of humor. It is also not entirely given what is actually funny, but the child needs to figure out a little about meanings and ambiguities, says Anna Sarkadi.
Humor, jargon, and special rituals can act as a form of glue that strengthens the relationship well into the years and can also be helpful in handling tough situations.
Heat is most important
It's a gift to be humorous, but the important thing is that there is warmth in the relationship. Dad jokes are only funny if they are part of this warmth and almost become a ritual where the child knows that "now dad is going to be naughty," says Anna Sarkadi and continues:
If you also manage to bring a little humor into conflict management – and I don't mean sarcasm or irony because small children don't understand that – then much is gained.
