While often met with groans and eye-rolls, dad jokes may offer more than just a moment of mild embarrassment, according to research. Experts suggest that these particular gags serve a valuable purpose in children's emotional development, helping them build resilience and emotional regulation skills.
Marc Hye–Knudsen, a humor researcher at Aarhus University, posits that by playfully teasing their children's egos, fathers can help them learn to withstand minor emotional discomfort without overreacting. This, he explains, acts as a form of pedagogical tool, teaching impulse control and how to manage negative emotions. "Fathers may push their children's limits for how much embarrassment they can handle. They show their children that embarrassment isn't fatal," Hye–Knudsen stated.
This perspective is supported by a survey of 2,000 individuals in the UK, which found that more than half of respondents consider their father to be one of the funniest people they know. The survey, commissioned by Bloom & Wild, also identified popular dad jokes, with "I'm on a seafood diet... I see food and I eat it" topping the list.
Experts note that many dad jokes are inoffensive puns, which, at best, might elicit a chuckle and, at worst, a groan. Hye–Knudsen encourages fathers to continue telling these jokes, suggesting that the repetitive nature and inherent 'badness' of the humor can, over time, become ironically funny. He points to the possibility of children eventually repeating these jokes themselves, perhaps as parents, as evidence of their lasting impact.
Other popular jokes cited in the survey include "I only know 25 letters of the alphabet... I don't know y," and "Two guys walked into a bar. The third guy ducked." Jokes like "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," also made the list. The survey highlighted 19 other jokes as eliciting a chuckle.
Jess Henderson, Gifting Expert at Bloom and Wild, commented that Father's Day presents an opportune moment to acknowledge fathers' unique qualities, including their humor and support. She added that the occasion is a key time for many to express gratitude to their fathers for their contributions.