Giving your children a pleasant, healthy upbringing can help them succeed later in life. However, many parents worry how they might raise happy children in today’s environment. Raising happy children isn’t about providing them with immediate joy or pleasure. In reality, it’s the polar opposite.

Happy kids have a skill set that permits them to be happy for the rest of their lives. They may forego immediate satisfaction in order to achieve their objectives. Adopting healthy, lifelong habits can assist your children in developing such talents. Here are some tips for raising happy children.

1. 
   

   Encourage children to play outside.

Don’t undervalue the importance of outdoor play. Children benefit from activities such as running on the grass, climbing trees, swinging on a swing, and digging in the soil.

Scents linked with nature, such as pine trees, cut grass, and lavender, have been shown to improve your child’s mood in studies. So, to offer your child an instant boost in happiness, encourage him to read a book outside or complete his homework on the porch.

Children’s social skills can also be improved through outdoor play. According to a 2017 research published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, children who spent more time outside playing improved their empathy, engagement, and self-control—all of which are important social skills.

Children who have stronger social skills are more likely to have happier relationships.

According to one research, children who have stronger social skills are twice as likely to attend college and are less likely to engage in substance misuse, obesity, or violence. As a result, make playing outside a daily habit. Encourage your children to ride their bikes, play with neighborhood kids, and run about in the big outdoors, even if the weather isn’t ideal.

 

2. 
   

   Time in front of the screen should be limited.

Your youngster may swear that playing video games for hours on end makes him happy. However, too much screen time is harmful to your child’s mental health. Adolescents who spent less time on their digital devices and more time on non-screen activities including sports, homework, religious services, and other in-person activities were happier, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Emotion.

 

Set explicit boundaries for your child’s screen time. Limit him access to his smartphone when you’re conducting family activities, in the car, or when he’s playing outside if he has one. Also, establish explicit limits on how much time he may spend watching television and using the computer.

 

3. 
   

   Gratitude should be practiced.

Incorporating appreciation into daily life may assist children in being happier and healthier individuals. Keep in mind, though, that there is a huge difference between forcing a “thank you” and truly meaning it.

According to a 2012 research on thankfulness, grateful individuals have stronger connections, which can lead to a happier life.

Modeling thankfulness is one of the most effective strategies to help children become truly appreciative.

When you are grateful for someone else, express your gratitude with honest gratitude. Thanking your children for their efforts will teach them to do the same.

Make it a family tradition to talk about what you’re thankful for. After the dinner table, identify three things for which you are grateful, or discuss your gratitude at bedtime. This will teach your children to search for things in their daily lives to be grateful for.

Make it a point to write thank you cards on a regular basis. Encourage your youngster to choose something particular he wishes to thank someone for rather than merely signing his name. You also don’t have to save thank-you cards for presents. You might urge your child to send a thank you message to his teacher for all of his support over the school year, or you could write a card to a particularly helpful coach.

 

4. 
   

   Set high, but reasonable, goals.

While preparing for an exam or playing a musical instrument isn’t pleasant, children who strive to achieve difficult things are more likely to live happy lives. Your expectations have a significant influence on your child’s willingness to take risks. As long as your expectations are realistic, your children will strive hard to satisfy them.

According to studies, children do better in school and persevere longer at difficult activities when their parents have high academic expectations for them.

Academic and social resilience are also connected to high expectations.

It’s vital to remember, though, that you shouldn’t anticipate perfection. Setting a high standard for your child will almost certainly backfire. Expecting your child to be flawless might put him or her at risk for mental health problems. If your child believes you have set the bar too high for her, she may give up on her objectives.

 

5. 
   

   Self-Control should be taught.

It’s possible that eating an extra cookie, skipping homework in favor of fun with friends, or binge-watching TV instead of performing chores would provide children with temporary pleasure. In the long term, however, a lack of self-control causes more harm than good.

People with stronger self-control report more positive emotions, according to a 2020 research published in the Journal of Personality. Researchers did find, however, that those with stronger self-control did not place themselves in as many enticing circumstances as others. They’ve basically set themselves up for happiness.

Begin teaching your child self-control at a young age. Teach her not to be surrounded by too many temptations at the same time. Put a basket in the kitchen for smartphones as one example of how you may help her with this. Tell your child to put her phone in the basket when she’s doing homework so she won’t be tempted to go online while she’s meant to be working.

Before bedtime, place all gadgets in a common area of the house. When your child is in bed, she won’t be tempted to use her iPad or phone.

Healthy food options should be kept in the refrigerator and cabinets. If you store sweet snacks throughout the house, make them harder to get to by putting them on high shelves or hiding them in the back of the pantry.

 

6. Assign Chores

Now is not the time for your youngsters to enjoy clearing the table or cleaning the living room. However, allocating duties may be a significant component in achieving long-term pleasure. Giving kids chores when they were 3 and 4 years old was proven to be the best predictor of long-term performance in one research.

It’s possible that youngsters who help with housework feel more attached to their families because they feel like they’re contributing. And that sense of belonging might help kids stay psychologically strong in the face of adversity.

Children may learn a number of life skills via chores, including responsibility and community involvement. They may also discover that they can deal with tedious activities and that they can persevere even when frustrated.

Making their beds and cleaning the kitchen may also offer children a feeling of achievement and demonstrate that they are capable of making a difference, even if they are young.

Assign regular duties to your children and expect them to complete them. You’ll also assist them in developing life skills that will enable them to live better lives as adults.

 

7. Eat Dinner Together

It’s tempting to grab food on the go and eat at different times when your kids have sports practices, games, and other extracurricular activities. However, eating as a family may be one of the finest things you can do to raise happy children.

According to one study, a higher frequency of family dinners was substantially linked to teenagers’ happy emotions.

According to another study, teenagers who have meals with their family had more optimistic outlooks on the future.

Family dinners may also be beneficial to one’s health. Obesity and eating problems are less common in children who dine with their parents. Teenagers who have supper with their parents are also less likely to struggle with substance addiction or behavioral difficulties.

Don’t worry if you can’t all get together for a family supper every night. Children benefit from dining alongside their parents a few times a week, according to most research.

 

8. Avoid Overindulging Your Children

Buying your child a lot of things or giving him everything he wants for the holidays will not make him happy. In fact, overindulging children may have a negative impact on their mental health.

According to certain studies, children who have overindulged are more prone to have emotions of persistent dissatisfaction. They may be unable to distinguish between desires and necessities, leading them to believe that happiness is derived from worldly possessions.

So avoid the temptation to give your children whatever they desire. Despite their claims that possessing the most up-to-date smartphone, more designer apparel, and a better bicycle will make them happy, the research suggests otherwise.

Allow them to get privileges by earning them. When kids have to work hard for something rather than having it handed to them, they will appreciate it much more.

And place a greater emphasis on experiences rather than goods. People who are the happy spend their time and money making memories rather than acquiring more things, according to studies.

 

9. Exercise together as a family

Exercise may make everyone in the family happier, whether you go for a nightly stroll as a family or perform fitness videos from the comfort of your own home.

The sort of exercise didn’t matter, according to a 2020 research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies. Aerobics, stretching and balancing exercises, and weight lifting are all good for making you happy.

However, you may believe that you don’t need to exercise with your child because he or she is likely to get enough exercise at recess or via sports activities. Exercise, on the other hand, is likely to make you happier, and happy parents tend to raise happier children. Getting physically active together may also help you bond and create happy memories, both of which are key elements in happiness.

 

10. Assist Others

Altruism has been related to happiness in several research. Indeed, being kind to others may make your children happy, and happiness makes them more kind. It’s a win-win situation that puts people on the path to a better, healthier existence.

Participants were separated into three groups in a research published in The Journal of Social Psychology in 2019. One group was instructed to conduct a daily act of kindness, while another was instructed to try something new, and a third group was given no instructions.

Researchers discovered that individuals who committed acts of kindness and those who tried new things reported a significant increase in happiness after just 10 days. You may engage your children in altruistic behavior in a variety of ways. Here are a few suggestions:

• Challenge everyone in the family to perform one act of kindness each day and share it with the rest of the family over dinner.
• Choose a charity to support each year and volunteer together as a family for a couple of hours each week.
• Set aside a portion of your child’s weekly allowance to contribute to a worthwhile cause, and let her choose where the money should go.

 

A Word From Parenting Through Mentorship

Remember that kids don’t have to be happy all of the time. They, too, require the experience of unpleasant emotions such as grief, rage, fear, and disappointment. ​

 

When your children are experiencing unpleasant feelings, there is no need to cheer them up or intervene. Instead, guide them through it and assist them in finding methods to relax and cope with their emotions.

 

If they aren’t happy every minute of the day, it isn’t a reflection on your parenting. It is not your responsibility to ensure the happiness of your children. Instead, it is your responsibility to teach your children how to regulate their emotions in a healthy manner.

 

Finally, providing a caring atmosphere for your children is the finest thing you can do to help them grow up happy. Even when faced with adversity, children who feel they are loved and cared for are more likely to flourish.