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When parents are asked “What do you want your kids to be when they grow older”, the most common answer was “Happy.” It is the general consensus that as parents we want our children to be happy and we will do anything and everything we can to ensure that they are happy as kids and continue to be happy when they grow up. Below are a few strategies that can help you on you path to raising happy kids!
Encourage Thankfulness
Teaching your kids to be thankful and grateful at an early age itself is not just good, but crucial. Help your kids understand how to find happiness in the small things in life and appreciate them often- this has been found to make them less likely to develop depression and anxiety as adults, and they also tend to be more satisfied and successful individuals.
Be Happy
More often than not, emotional problems that children face are a reflection or result of emotional problems their parents are going through. If you’re someone that keeps grumbling and complaining, your kids will do the same. Be a happy and optimistic person and create a joyful environment at home- this will not just be great for your kids, but will also make you more effective at parenting.
Celebrate Often
What your kids will remember the most when they grow up is the happy family moments you spent together, so find reasons to celebrate! Did your kid get an A in a paper? Go out together and have an ice cream. Is it a weekend night? Get out together for a long drive. These little moments can make up for a lot.
Set Reasonable Boundaries
Setting boundaries is one of the crucial rules of parenting, and it doesn’t just help your kids grow up to be happy individuals, but also get them to become more successful and confident. Don’t be too controlling as a parent. Understand when you need to step out and let your kids handle things by themselves. Allow them a little bit of breathing space.
Praise Effort
Just like anyone else, your child too, will experience their share of highs and lows, and that’s okay. Ditch the idea of your child being ‘perfect’ and instead of appreciating them only when they wins, praise your children for their efforts and keep on motivating them to do his best. Make sure to use these words to encourage your kids often.
Have Meals Together
Yes! You read that right. Science has now backed and validated the fact that families who have their meals together are more likely to be emotionally stable and their kids are less likely to be affected by depressive symptoms. Some other studies have also shown that this helps improve the parent-child bond, which is obvious, and also improves grades!
Teach Emotional Intelligence
Contrary to the popular belief, emotional intelligence is actually not an inborn trait, but is a skill that you can teach your kid to develop. The next time you find your kid struggling with expressing and making sense of their emotions, actively listen to what they have to say, help them identify their emotions and look for practical ways to handle those emotions better.
Did you enjoy reading this of strategies to raise happy kids? Have you or will you implement any of these? Let me know in the comments box below, I’d love to hear from you!
