Research-backed
Image: Shutterstoack
Have you ever wondered if you are a good parent? Is there something that you are doing wrong? Parenting isn’t all about setting a strict schedule and pushing your children to get good grades. There’s more to parenting than just helping your child bring good grades and excel at the academic level. There are times when you lose focus on what’s important in life, it’s to raise a happy and healthy kid. Make sure to be involved in their lives as much as you can, and always remember, family comes first. Here are six things that you can follow to raise a healthy and happy child.
1. Celebrate The Small Things In Life
Here, we’re not talking about just birthdays and anniversaries and throwing a surprise party. Celebrate every small achievement such as you getting a promotion at work, your kid getting an A grade, or something as small as your kid learning to play their favorite instrument. Celebrating smaller achievements will motivate your child to work towards their goal. They will also begin to have a positive outlook on life. For some time, they will forget about their worries and learn to be happy.
2. Teach Them The Art Of Gratitude
In this race against time, we often forget all the things we are grateful for in life. From a roof over the head to food and water, it’s important to teach them to be grateful for things in life. Cultivating this habit can help them to be compassionate and have hope.
3. Give Positive Affirmations To Your Child
A child is still discovering who they are and what their purpose in life is. Hell, even we haven’t been able to figure it out ourselves. Constantly putting them down and discouraging them will cause them to lose their confidence. They might be hesitant to take up a new challenge. So, it’s important to give them positive affirmations to let them know they are doing good. Even if you don’t agree with something that they did, instead of pointing out their mistakes and reprimanding, try telling them how they can do better.
4. Be Optimistic
If you don’t practice what you preach, no matter what you teach them, they will absorb what they see in front of them, and at home. If you are constantly whining about work and life, your child will not be able to develop an optimistic attitude. Assuming or thinking the worst out of every possible situation that life throws at you will make you lead a sad and dull life.
5. Connect With Your Child
The best way to connect with your child is through touch. A simple hug or kiss can make a world of difference in building a happy child. We all love cuddling, have you ever thought why? Cuddling with your loved one releases a hormone called oxytocin that can lower your blood pressure and help you relax (1). Hugging them when they are feeling low will make them feel less lonely and insecure, and calm them down.
6. Explore The World With Them
Planning a ski trip or taking a baking class together will let them get to know you better as a person. It can help build a strong bonding with your child. Also, they will now see that even you can make mistakes and in turn they will learn to embrace their imperfections.
Ten years from now, they are only going to remember the time you spent with them as a family. Make that experience a memorable one. As John Lennon once told his teacher he wanted to be happy when he grew up, there’s nothing more important in life than to teach your kids to be happy.
