The question I get most often, aside from how to get kids to do what they’re told is how to raise happy children. And while it’s impossible, and not particularly healthy, to give in to kids’ whims to keep them happy every minute, there are definitely several ways you can influence your child’s overall happiness.
All parents desire for their children to grow up in a positive environment, working to figure out how to raise happy children. Providing your kids with healthy and happy childhoods can set them up for many successes in life.
The truth is, happy children possess a skill set that allows them to enjoy long term happiness, successes and an ingrained sense of self-esteem throughout their lives. When children are happy, they develop an innate ability to pass up instant gratification to reach their goals, making them resilient. With so many positive things associated with raising happy children, it’s no wonder so many parents desire to help this process along.
How to Raise Happy Children
You can help your children develop those skills by adopting lifelong habits surrounding happiness, health, and positivity. Learning 10 ways to raise happy children, will help you to reach your goals.
Start with Your Own Happiness
Unhappy parents tend to transmit these negative emotions and feelings to their children. In fact, the same stands true for any influential adult in a kid’s life. If you are a happy person, your children will be happy when they are around you.
The first place to start when attempting to raise happy children is your own happiness and positivity. Surround yourself with positive people, do things that make you happy and participate in self-care routines often. When you are happier, your children will be too.
Teach Gratitude
Grateful children have a better sense of happiness and positivity. Guide your kids to appreciate the little things in life by modeling gratitude.
Express how grateful you are for the little things in life, be it the sunset, the meal on your table or even just a hug, and in turn, your children will model the same behavior.
Help Others
Showing kindness to others can make people happier. The same holds true for your children. Helping others and showing kindness provides them with a positive cycle that can set them up for a healthier and happier life.
There are many ways that you can help your children become involved in humanitarian behaviors. From volunteering as a family to donating money to a good cause, participating in kindness is a great way to make your children feel happier and more accomplished.
Create Routines
Participating in daily routines helps to instill a sense of happiness and security within your children. Having regular family meals, morning and bedtime routines and sleep schedules help to make your children feel more secure, strengthen family bonds, and lead to more productivity.
In fact, routines can also help to improve your children’s health by solidifying healthy habits.
Truly Listen to Your Kids
Taking the time to truly listen to your children will help them to develop a sense of happiness. When they wish to communicate with you, take the time out to give them your undivided attention. When children feel heard and valued, it helps them to feel happier in the long term.
Encourage Exercise
Getting active has far more benefits than just being healthy and in good shape. In fact, exercise is known to reduce stress and anxiety, increase the release of endorphins that trigger happiness and create an overall environment of positivity.
Getting active every single day will make sure that your children are not only happier, but you will also be assisting them to create and establish healthy habits for life.
Set Boundaries
Parents that enforce boundaries with their kids go on to raise successful and confident children. Effective parenting and enforcing boundaries will help to form a more understanding and solid relationship with your kids.
While it is not healthy to be too controlling, children require boundaries to reach their own protentional. Communicate these boundaries with your children, outline expectations and make consequences and the why behind the boundaries very clear. This will help your children to be happier and more confident with the family relationship.
Parent from a Place of Calm
When you raise your voice at your kids, it can turn your home into a battleground of sorts. Kids that reside in a hostile environment are more anxious and insecure. Always make sure that you parent from a place of calm.
If you feel yourself losing your temper, take some time to breathe and remove yourself from the situation. Collect yourself before speaking to your children again. Parenting from a place of calm will make your children feel relaxed, trusting you as their parent.
Focus on the Positive
Take the time to really see your children and focus on all the positive things they have to offer to the world. Simply offering encouraging words, showing them gratitude for a job well done, and displaying affection can help to make your children feel accomplished and happy.
Don’t be Hard on Yourself
There are going to be times when your little one seems unhappy. This doesn’t mean that you are failing, and it certainly doesn’t merit you being so hard on yourself. Parenting is a process of choices, mistakes, and achievements. If you have made a mistake, learn from it, but move on.
Parenting is a difficult journey sometimes, but the goal is to ensure that we are raising our happy children into happy adults. All it takes is a little work, love, and patience.
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