What could be more amusing?

My sister in law has a running list of things that are always funny.

I learned of this list after a ride in the car with my niece, age six, in the back seat. She proceeded to tell me this wild (and mostly incoherent) tale about monkeys flinging poop and, "saying that word . . . you know, the one that's kind of like 'darn it' but we're not allowed to say it?" Um, yeah. I think I've heard that word before.

So I ask my sister in law what the heck her girl was talking about, and she laughed and kind of blushed, as much as she ever does.

"Well, the boy was having a grumpy day and I'd tried everything to get him to snap out of it. I finally decided I had to make him laugh, so I tried to think of things that are funny. Monkeys are funny. Poop is funny. And when you're 6 and 8 and your mom's a potty-mouth, the word 'dammit' is usually good for a laugh. I just kind of put together a few things that are always funny and all three of us were cracking up in no time."

She pauses for a moment, and then says, "But I guess it loses a little something in the translation."

I don't think it does, though. While my niece's story made little sense, it all came together in her mom's desire to see her boy laugh. In addition to keeping them safe, isn't our job to help our children find joy and silliness in their days? And in the grand scheme, isn't that silliness the best lasting gift we can give them?

That, and maybe a few good poop jokes along the way.