“Happiness is seeing your kids happy”….
“Seeing my child happy is one of the best feelings in this world”….
“Every happy memory created for a child is another treasure of a lifetime” – Donna Marie
All these are such powerful quotes and I love how it resonates with every strong emotion that I feel as a mother for my daughter. As a parent, we are all trying to do the best we can to bring up our kids healthy, safe, and confident human beings. But truly the biggest and the most important thing that we all hope to see in our kids ‘is for them to be happy’.
Studies in the past have shown, how creating a positive environment at home and making your child happy can help them become strong-minded and well-rounded adults in their later stages of life. They will grow up feeling more happiness, connection to their loved ones, and develop more gratitude towards life. Connecting back to the dots of happy memories created in their early childhood can set them up for success and also help in their overall physical-social development.
But how do you bring up happy kids? Well, the truth is, it’s no rocket science! Just by imbibing these simple good habits in your daily routine is more than enough in bringing up happy and healthy-minded kids.
Make yourself happy first
Most of you must have come across this famous quote ‘Happy healthy parents make happy healthy children’ by Miriam Stoppard. It’s so true! Having a healthy happy mind can help you think more soundly and develop more patience in raising your kids. Also, kids tend to learn more quickly from what they see. If you as parents can show them that you are happy and take care of yourself constantly, this trait will resonate quickly with your kid and they will learn to practice the art of happiness more in their life.
Show them you are in a loving relationship with your partner
The other day I was reading a case study on how kids who grow up watching their parents express slight PDA (public display of affection) in front of them (simple things like holding hands, kiss on the forehead, etc), grow up to be happier adults. Watching their parents be in a loving relationship can help your kids feel more secure and develop a strong sense of security in them.
Play outdoors with your kids
There is no better feeling than being outside in mother nature. The extra vitamin D and excitement of being outside can do wonders for your mood and so for the mood of your little one. I had posted this post earlier on how ‘playtime with kids’ can benefit in your child’s overall character building here. Kids who play outside can develop better social skills which can help them have healthier relationships and feel more happiness when they grow up.
Let your child take part in household chores
Giving them small household chores can teach them owning up to their responsibilities and also being able to achieve the task in hand can make them confident and happy. I love letting Mishika empty the dishwasher with me. She hands out the washed utensils one by one to me and I respond back with a ‘thank you’. It makes her so happy.
Take out time for your kid daily
Giving time to building a relationship with your kid can do wonders for them and vice-versa. It can help them develop more security, feel strong emotions like love, bonding which will bring more happiness in their mind.
Have the entire family eat dinner together
Such an easy good habit to practice at home. Dinnertime is the best time when the entire family can come together after a long day at work, share their experiences and laughs with each other. This can also make your kid feel more secure and more open to having open-conversations in their later life with you.
Practice gratitude in front of them
Practicing gratitude has always been linked to making one feel emotionally satisfied which in turn triggers happiness. Forming simple habits like praying as a family before dinner or helping someone can teach your kids to practice gratitude. This is such a strong habit that can help your child develop positive thoughts and lasting happiness.
Limit screen time
Well, I get it raising kids is tough and can get demanding at times and it’s always hard to find time to get work done. Screen-time does come in handy to keep your kids occupied so that you can get some time for yourself. But giving your kids an endless amount of screen time can hinder your child’s mental well-being. Everything practiced in moderation is always good and healthy. Designating screen time to be limited to car rides or maybe an hour in the evening at home is the right approach. Teach your little one to play outside, find activities at home o keep them busy or take part in household chores.
Appreciate their efforts
Giving ‘kudos’ to your kid for every small and big achievement can help them improve their self-confidence and overall development. Also appreciating your kids for things that they tried but did not achieve can boost their self-confidence and in turn trigger happiness.
Practice real relationship
Lastly, practice real relationships by finding a balance between appreciating and pampering your kid and also punishing/ scolding them when they do wrong. It is all rite to pamper your kid from time to time but overindulging them with materialistic pleasure can actually cause more harm than help them. Although watching your own child being unhappy or show anger when punished is hard, but it is actually helping them develop a strong foundation of long-term happiness for the future. They will learn from their mistakes to accept and take responsibility for their wrong-doing in the future.
Practicing these simple habits in your day-to-day life with your little one can help them develop self-confidence, build stronger and healthier relationships in the future, and feel long-term happiness.
Sharing some pretty pictures from our visit to the Watkins Glen State Park from a few weekends back – located in the Finger lakes region and listed as one of the top state parks to visit in the United States.
In case you are looking for similar topics to read from the blog:
1. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POTTY TRAINING
2. 10 REASONS WHY ROUTINE IN KIDS IS IMPORTANT + (FREE AM/PM ROUTINE PRINTABLE FOR KIDS)
3. BENEFITS OF ‘PLAYTIME’ WITH KIDS
4. HOW TO CLEAN KIDS BATH TOYS
I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said! One thing that always sticks out to me is showing you’re in a loving relationship with your partner. That is so, so important when raising children in your home. I know of too many families who constantly fight in front of their children and those poor, very young children are already expressing signs of anxiety disorders because of it. Its unfortunate.
Great post 🙂