Parenting tips and secrets: How to raise happy kids?
Parenting tips and advice
Happiness is the one thing that parents want their children to have. A happy kid goes on to becoming a positive, self confident individual who believes in all the good things in life. But raising happy and well behaved kids is a challenging task for the parents. There is no magic wand that will spread all the love and happiness in your child’s life. Raising happy kids requires the patience of a saint and a lot of unconditional love.
In addition to feeding your kids, educating them and keeping them safe and sound, here are the seven secrets to raising happy kids.
1) Don’t aim for perfection
Nobody’s perfect. So don’t expect yourself or your kids to be perfect in their roles. Accept and love them the way they are. Trying to change their personalities will only stress you both out. So let your kids be their own original self.
2) Discipline means to teach, not punish.
Raising a happy child requires a lot of discipline. Teaching your child discipline means to set the right example. Children do as they see, not as they are told. Unless you do the right thing, expecting your child to behave morally is a waste of time. And if you want your child to be happy, you must smile without hesitation, help without being told and be the person that you want your kid to look up to.
3) Let your kids know that they are more important than work.
A happy family nurtures happy children. Play with your kids, listen to their childish banter, and answer their silly questions. It is necessary that you be an important part of their everyday life. A secure child is definitely a happy child.
4) Expressing love and affection.
Parents love their kids but how many times do you tell them so? How often do you say ‘I love you’ to your children? Kids need to know that they are loved by the two people who are most important to them. Don’t hesitate to show affection. Spontaneous hugs and kisses make children more open to accepting love.
5) Nurture your marriage.
If your marriage is suffering, it is likely that your kid is too. There is nothing that a kid wants more than to see his parents happy. Troubled marriage creates a lot of insecurities and doubts in your kid’s mind. A happy, loving couple’s kids are lot more happier than those who are divorced or separated.
6) Joking helps develop a sense of humor.
Lighten up! Sharing a joke with your kid and laughing together helps you connect and brightens up your family life. A healthy sense of humor helps build a positive outlook and makes kids better able to cope with challenges. Tickle them, chase them, pretend to fall and make your little one burst into laughter. These first steps towards happiness go a long way in making your kid a happy and healthy child.
7) Give yourself a break.
Stressing yourself out about being a good parent and trying hard all the time is only going to leave you drained out. Give yourself a break from all the worrying and being on a pedestal. Take your kids out and go for a spontaneous family picnic. No planning, no lists, no worrying. Just you and your kids. A happy parent raises happy children. So don’t be too hard on yourself because eventually that’s only harming your kid’s childhood.
No matter how difficult this might seem, every parent must try their best to raise happy kids. Don’t let your kid’s childhood fade away while you are busy working. Nurture their hearts and educate their minds. In the words of Dalai Lama, “It is vital that when educating our children’s brains, we do not neglect to educate their hearts.”
