Why Are Children With ADHD Typically Funny?
ADHD and humor are often tied together. In fact, many people with ADHD are quick witted, funny, and impulsive. As an ADHD Life Coach, I am delighted to work with so many amazing children and I find we laugh often, very often. Whether it's making silly faces, me calling them out on their "stories" or just a fun way to connect; laughter and a good sense of humor usually is present with many of my clients. My friend always said, "if you are not laughing you could be crying." Well, isn't that true! As an ADHD person myself, I always have tried to help and bring in humor to make others feel comfortable and at ease. If something is so heavy, I feel like I want to cry, I want to call the friend that can make me laugh and comfort me at the same time!
ADHD And Humor in Children
So many ask, is humor coping skill? A mechanism they have learned to get along well with others and be liked? Some could argue yes, others no. So many ADHD people may use humor as a coping strategy, sometimes to deflect, or to turn an uncomfortable situation into something a bit more light hearted. On average, a child with ADHD struggles with many things especially when they compare and contrast themselves with others. It is because of this they can feel inadequate or not good enough; maybe a messy room, being yelled at by teachers and their parents, interrupting during class, not completing assignments, basically getting distracted from what they were supposed to be doing, versus, what they would rather be doing, because quite frankly, it's simply more fun and a better reaction from people to them.
ADHD brains are wired for interest driven activities, if they have no interest, the harder the task is going to be to accomplish. Kids with ADHD have amazing skills in other areas and can go over and beyond their neurotypical classmates. I think it is also their lack of impulse control that allows them to blurt out many humorous things before thinking, if it is appropriate or not. Why not stop a stressful and/or awkward situation and deflect it with a fast one liner. They want to be liked and they want to have friends, and I'm sure they have found that humor brings everyone closer and makes life easier and more fun. I have found working with children joy filled. I once was apprehensive to work with children virtually, but I've surprised myself, it's actually quite rewarding! Many kids with ADHD are quick and super smart. Put those two together and you have a lot of quick witted comedians waiting to branch out on a side gig of stand up!
It's also important to know not all children with ADHD are funny. Many children struggle with reading a room, or not being able to know when they have crossed a line. Many children with ADHD may not be outgoing, confident, or use humor at all. Each person with ADHD is different and each person struggles with many different things. There is not, one type fits all. For more information, please feel free to reach out directly to me.
Working with an ADHD Life Coach
ADHD kids are social and fun, they are loving and kind, they are inquisitive and bold, they love adventure and love to take fun risks. They can act faster than they can process, (sometimes an issue). They love to try things out, they like to dive in deep with what they love, and they prefer to laugh then feel the ridicule and harshness of life around them. When you can't do well in school and you are carrying a lot of feelings of being disconnected from your peers, a joke may just be what's needed. They are insightful kids with huge caring hearts, they are the future world helpers in training, their sensitivity can aid them in these areas, because they are "feelers'. What many don’t know is behind that amazing smile and humor could be a child struggling with many other things in their life. Self esteem, self confidence, being super sensitive and emotional, and internalizing their struggles, impulsivity, fitting in, reading a room, social skills, the list goes on. Working with a Life Coach can assist a child with executive function skills, social skills, and also assist them with their self confidence and self esteem. An ADHD coach understands how an ADHD brain is wired so they focus on the child's strengths and give them tools and strategies in overcoming their obstacles. Please feel free to contact me for more information about Life Coaching and ADHD.
