If there are times when you don't dare smile, what are they?

At a funeral during the service. Occasionally, a eulogist will make a humorous remark and then it is ok to smile or chuckle but generally appropriate to be somber. At the funeral repast after, humor is often a relief.

When being a defendant in a court of law.

Otherwise, I smile at people all day most days.

At a funeral.

When the boss is giving everyone a dressing down. He might think I find whatever has happened amusing. [Sometimes when I’m nervous, I get the giggles at inappropriate times.]

When a four year old has an existential crisis and you have to take it as seriously as they do, even though it’s an absurdly adorable and goofy problem that the child will forget tomorrow, to smile (which is an almost irresistible response) would crush them.

Oh, that’s a good one @canidmajor! That is tough!

Or when they’re in trouble and they respond by doing something they don’t realize is so darling and cute….and you can not smile. It undermines your authority. You have to keep a stern face on no matter what. That’s tough.

My younger one once shook his curls at us after he had done something naughty and said, “Am I in big bubble?” It was impossible not to smile.

I know I’ve told this before, but when my daughter was about 4 I had taught her to write her name, CORY. She couldn’t read, but she understood those symbols had something to do with her.
One day I walked into the living room and saw, “CORY scrawled on the wall, right at her level.”
“Cory!” I hollered.
She came scampering in.
I said, “We don’t draw on walls. We draw on paper!”
She looks at the wall, then looks at me with those big brown eyes and said, “How did chu know it wass me?”
Oh my. I had to turn away!

When someone slips right in front of you.

Lol! I’ve been that person!

@Earthbound_Misfit – I have been at the receiving end many times because of the same reason during my school / college days. They thought I’m making fun of them which I didn’t but got punished for that. It wasn’t harsh though as I was sincere kid otherwise..))

When the judge is talking to you about the seriousness of your infraction. When the cop asks if you know why he pulled you over.

When you are holding a royal flush, and someone is betting the hell out of four sevens.

When your spouse is berating you for some seemingly trivial offense, Laughter is not the best medicine.

I’m told it is considered bad form when you are identifying a dead person’s body at the morgue…

Using public showers. One time I had just got out of the shower and hadn’t put my clothes on yet and I was thinking of a really funny George Carlin joke (it was about the concept of time) when another guy undressed near the locker next to mine. I started to smile and he got pissed off thinking I was being a pervert

I miss Carlin….

”.....and some people…..they’re not stupid…....they’re full of shit…...

You’ll be listenin’ to a guy….

Well….he’s fairly intelligent…....AHHP…..He’s FULL OF SHIT !!!’ ”

When my parents were lecturing me.
“BUT IS WAS SO FUN!!”