Research shows that happy kids are more likely to be healthy and well-adjusted but parenting is a tricky business!
Rather than giving into your child’s every whim and granting them more screen time what does it take to raise happy children? It starts with loving your kids and prioritizing their mental health.
1. Nurture Your Child
A healthy child needs to be nurtured, from birth. This means more than just providing food, shelter and clothing; it also means nurturing their emotional and mental health.
Nurturing your children can help them learn to respect others and solve problems. For example, when your child throws her crayons on the floor in anger, encourage her to find another way to express herself. This will teach her to be self-sufficient, which helps build confidence and a positive self-concept.
Set routines and schedules to offer your children a sense of discipline and structure. This also allows them to know what to expect, which provides a sense of safety and security.
2. Encourage Healthy Eating Habits
Children need to eat healthy foods for good health. They need to drink water and low-fat milk, eat fruits and vegetables, and get plenty of physical activity.
Children thrive on routine, and having regular meals and snacks helps. Try to keep meal times at the same time each day, and make sure children are hungry before offering them food.
Offer a variety of healthy foods, but avoid forcing kids to clean their plates. Kids who are forced to eat everything on their plate will learn that their feelings of fullness can be overridden by force.
3. Exercise Regularly
Kids 6 and older need about an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.1 This includes playing outside, running around the house and walking. Even activities like climbing trees and jumping in puddles can improve your child’s mood.
They are also more likely to exercise if they see their parents doing it regularly. Make physical activity part of the family routine by taking regular walks or bike rides together and encouraging everyone to play sports and dance.
When your children are in a bad mood, empathise with them by saying things like “I know you feel unhappy right now, but I want you to try to choose a better mood”. Empathy is the best tool for teaching positive emotional regulation.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Just like adults, children need adequate sleep. Without it, they can feel groggy and moody and struggle to concentrate. Getting enough sleep also helps with memory, school performance and mental health.
Encourage a healthy bedtime routine by making sure their room is dark and quiet and setting a regular time for bed. Avoid letting kids watch TV, play on their phones or use their computers or tablets before they go to sleep.
If they come into your bed in the middle of the night, make it a rule that they must go back to their own room and try to fall asleep again. This can be hard, especially with older kids, but it’s important for their emotional and physical health.
5. Spend Time With Your Child
The more time you spend with your child, the happier they will be. Even if it’s just 10 minutes of one-on-one attention, such as playing with them during bath time or sitting outside together before dropping them off at school, each connection will have a positive impact.
Try to stay present when you’re with them – turn off the TV and put down your phone, for example. If your children have questions or concerns, listen to them carefully and respond thoughtfully. Kids need socialization and camaraderie to thrive, so encourage them to play with friends or participate in organized team sports.
6. Encourage Your Child to Talk About Their Feelings
Kids need to learn that their feelings are normal, and it helps when they know how to deal with those feelings in healthy ways. This is important because if children don’t understand their emotions, they may end up feeling frustrated or anxious.
Encourage them to talk about their feelings by listening attentively. Try to find a time when they will be open to talking, such as after school or at bedtime.
Help them recognize their feelings by using visual aids like emotion charts or emotion flashcards. You can also use books or TV shows to discuss feelings with your kids. Praise them when they express their feelings appropriately. This will reinforce their behaviour so they will be more likely to do it again in the future.
7. Make Time for Yourself
When you take care of yourself, you can be a happier, more relaxed parent. And when you’re happy, your kids will feel it too.
Kids need to feel safe and loved in order to grow into happy, healthy individuals. A home environment filled with happiness, harmony, and love helps children feel secure and optimistic about the future.
Kids can’t be happy all the time, however, so it’s important to teach them how to deal with uncomfortable emotions. For example, teaching them that mistakes are a natural part of life can help them develop resilience.
