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The Scene
In our living room, my one-year-old burst into tears. The adults sprang into action like an emergency response team—plastic spoons, stuffed dogs, and toy-generated nursery rhymes were deployed. For a moment, her tears turned to laughter, only to be interrupted by fresh sobs within two seconds. The cycle repeated like a broken tape recorder, oscillating between crying and giggling.
The Realization
I marveled at how human infants can simultaneously weep and laugh—a living metaphor for the complexity of emotions. Adults often try to smother tears with laughter, like pouring sugar into oversalted soup. But tears remain tears, laughter remains laughter; sugar is sugar, salt is salt.
The Lesson
Don’t take shortcuts when comforting a child. Resist the lazy reflex of drowning their cries with entertainment. Instead:
- Pause and observe for 3 seconds.
- Decode the need: Is she thirsty? Hungry? Cold? Bored?
- Respond concretely: Offer water, milk, a sweater, or a walk outdoors.
The Saltwater Principle
Next time you oversalt a dish, don’t mask it with sugar—add water to balance it. When your child cries, kneel down, meet their gaze, and say: "I see you."
(Not "It's okay," not "Look at this funny toy!" Just: "I see you.")
- Author:Zhenye Dong
- URL:https://dongzhenye.com/article/why-laughter-cant-neutralize-tears
- Copyright:All articles in this blog, except for special statements, adopt BY-NC-SA agreement. Please indicate the source!
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