Six Year Old opens Joke Stand to Brighten Peoples day

At age Six, Callaghan McLaughlin from British Columbia has set up a business that many would consider an Essential Service in this day and age! 

"There's a lot of stress in the world," he said Thursday, "and I kind of want to get some smiles on people's faces." 

For the past week, the youngster has been running a joke stand at the end of his driveway, offering free laughs to his neighbours and passersby.

His mom, Kelsea McLaughlin, said Callaghan was starting to miss interacting with neighbourhood kids because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I tried to find an idea where he could still be socially present in our community but be distant at the same time," she said.

McLaughlin had bought her son a kid-friendly joke book with one-liners, which he'd been practising on his parents for six months.

Callaghan opens his stand at 10 a.m. and manages about an hour of wisecracks before taking a "12-minute" lunch break (his mom says it's closer to 90 minutes). He comes back for a second round in the afternoon. 

"Most people at minimum give him a smile or wave," she said. "Several people do stop and ask to hear a joke, and typically reciprocate with one of their own."

Callaghan said he hopes to keep the stand going for another four or five days. He hopes he can encourage other kids to get outside and do things for the community no matter what their age!