iggle Box

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

Lady Angela of Alpine Castle often hosted a group of young women like herself at her home for bridge and afternoon tea. There was one woman that the other women wanted to exclude because no matter what subject they talked about, she always seemed to giggle at everything.

Lady Angela asked Professor Hamblin about this giggling situation and what could be done rather than ask the woman to stay away.

The Professor suggested that the giggling woman not be asked to stay away, but to understand that her giggling response was due to lack of social interaction with other people. “She may not know what the proper social situation response is and so she giggles at every turn of events. She lacks a learning experience that she should have learned from her parents,” added the Professor.

“One thing that can be tried is to take the giggler to a cemetery on a sunny day and sit with her in the cemetery and talk about ones aims and aspirations in life. If she still giggles, then there is a more serious problem.

“Additionally, among friends you may offer the ‘1’ through ‘5’ game. If something is very funny, it is a ‘1.’ If it is very sad, it is a ‘5.’ ‘3’ is an average response in a social situation. A smiling face is not a giggle; a smile can be sincere or concerned.

“Then, when among friends and something that is definitely a ‘1’ or ‘5’ response, you would whisper to the giggler what the number is and she could try to respond accordingly. After a while she will learn to give a certain response to a situation.

“Once the giggler knows the proper social response, the giggle response will go away. A light giggle now and then is normal, but it is important not to go from one extreme to another.

“A pleasant outlook and disposition is always in order.

“Children learn the fundamentals of the socializing process by observing their parents. If the parents always tell the young girl to be cute and giggle a lot, then when the child matures the childish behavior does not bode well in young adulthood.”

The Professor concluded that being polite, sincere and understanding went a long way in being socially accepted.