They’re often seen as cringeworthy, but try not to roll your eyes at your dad’s jokes too much this Father’s Day.
Research has revealed that your old man’s gags are actually good for you.
Dad jokes are important in helping children learn to be embarrassed by their parents, according to Marc Hye–Knudsen, a researcher of humour at Aarhus University.
‘By teasingly striking at their children’s egos and emotions without teetering over into bullying, fathers build their children’s resilience and train them to withstand minor attacks and bouts of negative emotion without getting worked up or acting out, teaching them impulse control and emotional regulation,’ Mr Hye–Knudsen explained.
‘In light of this, it is worth considering dad jokes as a pedagogical tool that may serve a beneficial function for the very children who roll their eyes at them.
‘By continually telling their children jokes that are so bad that they’re embarrassing, fathers may push their children’s limits for how much embarrassment they can handle. They show their children that embarrassment isn’t fatal.’
Ahead of Father’s Day, a poll of 2,000 Brits has also revealed the nation’s all–time favourite dad jokes.
The classic one–liner ‘I’m on a seafood diet… I see food and I eat it’ tops the list, with 18 per cent of the vote.
They’re often seen as cringeworthy, but try not to roll your eyes at your dad’s jokes too much this Father’s Day. Research has revealed that your old man’s gags are actually good for you (stock image)
Most dad jokes are puns, according to experts, and completely inoffensive puns at that.
At best they elicit a polite chuckle instead of genuine laughter, and at worst they make people groan and roll their eyes.
Hye–Knudsen explains: ‘To all the dads out there who love telling dad jokes to your kids, don’t let their groans, their eye–rolls, or their palpable irritation stop you.
‘You’re partaking in a long and proud tradition, and your embarrassingly awful jokes may even do them some good.
‘Keep repeating the same old stale puns, year–in and year–out.
‘Through painful repetition, you get to experience the same old joke go through waves of being unfunny and then so unfunny that it becomes funny.
‘One day, you may overhear your children spontaneously telling the same joke, perhaps when they themselves have become parents.
‘This, if nothing else, is concrete evidence that our input as parents does have an impact.’
According to the survey, commissioned by Bloom & Wild, more than half of Brits say their dad is one of the funniest people they know.
While the classic seafood gag tops the list as the best dad joke, the survey highlights 19 others that are guaranteed a chuckle.
‘I only know 25 letters of the alphabet… I don’t know y,’ is joint second on the list, alongside ‘Two guys walked into a bar. The third guy ducked.’
Other hilarious gags on the top list include ‘What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef,’ and ‘Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts.’
‘Father’s Day is the perfect chance to celebrate everything that makes dads unique, from their humour to their unwavering support,’ said Jess Henderson, Gifting Expert at Bloom and Wild.
‘For many of us, Father’s Day is that one key moment in the year when say a proper thank you to our dads for everything they do.’
