Question for Parents of 2nd Grade Boys (and Girls)*
The first week of January was fun because I spent every minute of it with Isaac. He didn't have school and I took off work so we could hang out. We really had a lot of fun. By Tuesday I was able to relax and get over the fact that I wasn't going to get any work done at ALL that week, and I embraced the moment. We did have some mutually frustrating moments but we also enjoyed each other's company.
Anyway, I noticed that Isaac's FJP (Fart Joke Percentage)** was increasing. These usually consist of some variation of "Oops, I farted!" (occasionally accompanied by sound effects). At first I wondered if he was having some kind of bowel trouble. He's been known to not poop until reminded.*** But by the second day, I figured out that he was joking.
Here's my question: Is the fart joke ubiquitous in 2nd grade? Do boys AND girls joke about it excessively? Is it an easy way to develop one's comedic ability? What are your thoughts?
I personally find fart jokes hilarious. Audible public slippage is enough to make me snort. The whoopee cushion is one of my favorite gags. But I don't walk around blowing on my arm and saying, "Awwww, that was a JUICY one!" or "Beans, beans, the musical fruit...." It certaily doesn't offend me (I think it's hilarious when he does it in public but I give him stern looks anyway), but it gets a tad old.
Lori in MN - what does your Isaac do? Who else has a 2nd grader?
*I referenced girls in the title because I hope that changing gender norms will make this question applicable to girls AND boys - I don't think that preoccupation with bodily functions is a purely male trait.
**FJP is the number of fart jokes as a proportion of all jokes (unintelligible knock-knocks, alternate nonsensical responses to "Why did the chicken cross the road?", and jokes involving other bodily functions).
***Will Isaac hate me for this post if he ever reads it?
3 comments:
Wow, I was mentioned by name. Cool!
I think that most kids think that fart jokes are very funny. They especially can't keep a straight face when they hear or smell one in the classroom. I always feel bad when kids are making fun of someone that has farted or draws attention to it, but that is different than the kind of jokes that you are talking about. But because of this, I think that fart jokes are discouraged at school.
I guess coming from the teacher side of it I have always not made a very big deal out of them. My husband and I have called them "toots" and we just don't joke about them I guess. However, when we go to my husbands side of the family, his grown siblings think they are hilarious. They can go a little overboard and maybe that is why we chose not to so.
Anyway, I think that fart jokes are very normal and are definately not just a 2nd grade thing or just a boy thing. I do think it is a easy thing to joke about, because hey, we all do it. And he knows that you find it funny, so it is even more fun for him then.
Sorry to ramble on... I guess my son has a very low FJP. :) And remember that my opinion comes not just being the mom of a 2nd grader but being an elementary substitute teacher.
By the way, my parrots do the same thing.
Well, I have a 4 year old pre-schooler who is very into "poopoo" jokes right now. Well, not really jokes, but he substitues any and every word with "poopoo"! Over christmas, I even heard him singing "Jingle poopoo, jingle poopoo" as he was sitting on the throne! :-) Go figure! Nowadays Zoya is picking it up from him too!
This may be slightly out of context but then again it's Maddox so who cares: Attention women
Post a Comment