Punchline!

I would rate my sense of humor well above average. I try, and often do, see the humor in most things and even fell in love with Todd, amongst many other reasons, because he made me laugh. One liners, sarcasm, even quick wit I am pretty good with and have been to known to get a chuckle, or more, out of people. But, I can not tell a good joke. Stand up acts were just never in the cards for me. I could hear a joke, know that it is funny and then go and tell the same joke to horrendous reviews. My delivery is usually off, my voice too monotone. Yep, one liners work better for me.
But, still, as we foster our children's sense of humor, raising them in a home where we laugh often, it is important they learn to tell a joke.
Over the summer, Ryder and I made up a not so funny joke that he seemed to love. After talking about how quickly ice cream melts in the summer and can get all over everything we came up with this "what is it called when ice cream gets in your eye?". "Eye Scream!". He and I laughed about this and he went on trying to tell others this same joke.
More recently, while watching an episode of Sid the Science Kid (a show I love, if only they felt the same) we heard a joke at the end that seemed age appropriate enough for them to tell to whoever would listen.
"What kind of tree fits in your hand?"
"A Palm Tree!"
This has become the joke we now use for them to learn to tell a joke, to learn the high you get from making others laugh.
It started out rough, a bludgeoning of the joke as if I were telling it myself: an excited "a palm tree in your hand" using the punch line without asking the question, or a "what's in your hand?" "A palm tree" leaving the receiver of this joke confused. But, we practiced. We discussed timing, and rasing your voice a bit on the punchline. And, they listened. And, as a result, they have a real joke to tell. And, they have. To everyone they can. Most people give the right reaction including a hand slapping out loud laugh and the boys walk away happy.
There are many, many skills we will teach our children in order for them to be well-rounded individuals, and, yes, I do believe telling a good joke is one of them. Perhaps they will learn to deliver a punchline better than me!