5 things the parents of happy kids do differently

While parents strive to raise their kids happily in a world filled with academic pressures, screen usage, and comparison, many often find parenting happy children a challenge and a concern. Although there is no definite way to ensure children are happy, certain practices of parents of happy children suggest that parents of happy kids don't aim for perfection but emphasize connection, balance, and emotional security. Here are five ways parents of happy children are different.

The parents of happy kids recognize that feeling emotionally safe is the cornerstone of child happiness. As such, instead of finding ways to correct their children’s behavior, these parents are interested in spending time with their children, understanding their emotions, and cultivating trust. The child feels listened to and understood, and this makes them cooperative and honest with their parents.

Happy children are those who express joy occasionally but are always able to express sadness, anger, fear, and frustration safely and comfortably. Successful parents are those who have children with healthy emotional functions and do not try to turn off and exclude unpleasant emotions. Such parents do not tell children either “Don’t cry” or “It’s no big deal.” Just the opposite: they recognize and manage children’s emotions properly.

Parenting happy children means finding a balance between directing, teaching, and giving children a lot of freedom. Encouraging independence means allowing children to make their own choices, allowing them to figure out solutions to problems, and allowing them to learn from their mistakes. They do not smother children with directives and an overly idealistic outlook since children learn a lot from experience. They instill their children’s confidence and self-esteem, and children’s confidence and self-esteem are important components of a happy child.

The lists in some families are already full of classes and activities. The parents of happy children deliberately slow down their pace. They value quality time: meals together, conversations, playtime, and laughing together, rather than being productive all day long. Even moments of connection as fleeting as talking before bed or going out on the weekend can build strong family ties so that the children feel secure.

Kids learn more by observing what dads and moms are doing than by listening to what they are saying. Parents of happy kids display qualities of kindness, managing emotions, and effective problem-solving strategies. These parents also deal with problems when there’s no anger, say sorry for errors committed, and display respect for others.