By far the most common response when you ask a person what they want for their spouse, parent, or child is “I just want them to be happy.” And isn’t that really what we all want for ourselves, too? Parenting is the toughest job in the world; a job which comes with no instruction manual or booklet and which requires little to no vacation and constant on-the-job learning. It’s an uphill climb with twists and turns at every bend, but it can also be one of the most rewarding jobs we can do.
In this list, we’re here to help out parents, would-be parents, and people who are just plain interested in psychology and happiness by presenting 25 different ways to ensure you raise happy kids. We debunk some common parental styles which have proven unsuccessful and introduce a variety of simple ways you can instill good values in your children to make them happier and more successful both in adolescence and in future adult life. If you’re looking to be a better parent, uncle, aunt, or any other kind of mentor to a child – or if you’re looking for some ways to make yourself happier as an adult, too – check out our list of 10 Pieces Of Wisdom To Help You Raise Happy Kids.
Cover Image CC via cheriejphotos via Flickr
10
Setting a positive example for children is one of the best ways to raise happy kids. Children who grow up in hostile environments with fighting parents are more emotionally unstable, perform worse in school, and are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol.
Source: Happify, Image: Vic via Flickr
9
While constantly-fighting parents lead to less adapted children, it’s good for a child to see a disagreement between her parents come to a resolution rather than being sent out of the room. As long as the conflict doesn’t escalate and insults aren’t hurled, constructively arguing in front of children and coming to a conclusion teaches them how to effectively compromise and resolve conflict.
Source: Bronson, Po & Merryman, Ashley. “NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children”, Image: Wikipedia
8
Parental acceptance is a crucial part of childhood development. Children who are rejected by their parents are more likely to be emotionally unstable and more likely to react in a hostile or aggressive manner to otherwise mundane situations.
Source: Happify, Image: Wikipedia
7
It may seem easy to dump kids in front of the television when momma needs a break, but watching TV means your child will be more unhappy. In fact, children are 8% more likely to develop symptoms of depression for each additional hour of television they watch.
Source: Happify, Image: Pixabay
6
One of the most important lessons for parents to learn is to praise their children for effort rather than ability. Parents who laud their kids’ abilities or intelligence are making it harder for them to cope with failure. Moreover, kids who are praised for effort are more likely to choose harder tasks because they are not as fearful of rejection if they don’t succeed.
Source: Happify, Image: Public Domain Image
5
Some parental styles these days overemphasize education and basically lock kids in a never-ending spiral of studying both in the classroom and at home. Let them live a little! Kids who play develop more social skills, motor skills, creativity, and emotional strength than those who study all the time.
Source: Happify, Image: Public Domain Pictures
4
Some parental styles these days overemphasize education and basically lock kids in a never-ending spiral of studying both in the classroom and at home. Let them live a little! Kids who play develop more social skills, motor skills, creativity, and emotional strength than those who study all the time.
Source: Happify, Image: Public Domain Pictures
4
Having a supportive, nurturing mother has been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus – the center for stress and memory – by up to 10% in preschool kids. A larger hippocampus has been associated with a decreased risk for memory loss and dementia.
Source: Happify, Image: Wikipedia
3
Every college student has heard about the helicopter parent: that overbearing, overprotective parent who just won’t let their kid control their own life, even after they’ve moved out of home. Freshmen with these overbearing parents tend to be more anxious, self-conscious, and less open to new experiences, among a barrage of other negative traits.
Source: Association of Psychological Science, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
2
Parents often over-focus on academic intelligence, leaving emotional intelligence by the wayside. It’s important to teach your kids how to understand their emotions. To do this, first empathize with what your child is feeling then help label what emotion it is they’re feeling. Lastly, let them know it’s ok to feel this way and help them figure out why they are feeling it.
Source: Carter, Christine. “Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents”, Image: Wikipedia
1
Teaching optimism to young children has been shown to reduce the likelihood of pubescent depression by half. “Always look on the bright side of lifeeee!”
Source: Happify, Image: Pixabay
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