Raising Happy Kids by:Shelby Strong
We all want to be happy
We all want to be happy. As parents we want our kids to be happy, but what happens when we have a child that has a hard time getting through hard times, or is ultra-sensitive? Sometimes this can be hard, but there are some things we can do as parents to encourage positive behavior in our children which can in turn make them much more happy.
Adults and especially parents are kids most powerful role models, so it is important that we not act negatively around our children. Not that we have to pretend, but if we have a positive outlook, chances are they will too. They look up to adults and parents and want to be like them, so try for a day to say only positive things to your child, make them feel important, needed and special, and see if it doesn't make a little difference. Children just want to know they are valued and important to their parents. Make sure they never doubt how good they are.
Next, whether you work or you are a stay at home parent, spend organized, quality time with your child frequently. We can get busy an involved with projects or other important things and put our children last sometimes to deal with when we are tired and at the end of our rope. On occasion, this is to be expected, but make sure that you have 10-30 minutes every day when you can spend one on one time with your child. You can take this time to talk while playing about issues he or she may be having in their life that would cause them to be unhappy. You'd be surprised by how much they open up when you take the time to get on their level and ask.
A rewards system like tickets or marbles is a great way to reinforce positive behavior. When your child is happy and not fighting or being negative, he gets a marble in his jar. When it is filled, he gets a special prize or a date with Mom or Dad to a favorite restaurant or skating rink. This is a great way to let your child visualize how much good he has done in a short amount of time. This works well for any age of children and can be adapted with bigger prizes for older children.
Last, get involved with what your children are doing. If they love soccer, volunteer to be a coach or assistant coach. You could volunteer in their classroom once a week, which would be a big help to the teacher and would help you learn about the dynamics in the classroom with the other kids, and what your child is learning. Another way to get involved is to immerse yourself in what they like to play with. If they love the Disney princesses, then play "Royal Ball" with them, or play online princess dress up with them. It doesn't have to be expensive; the most fun is usually when you do something together that's free. Most importantly just spend the time together and let her know you also enjoy what she is interested in.
Never let your child question your love for him. No matter what he does or says, you will always be there to talk to him and comfort him in times of need. Doing a few simple things should make a big difference in how happy your kids are, and as a result, it will make you a lot happier too!
About the author
Shelby Strong is a stay at home mom of 2 girls and a boy. She is also a small business owner of an at home business called My Cute Dressups. Visit her site at
http://www.mycutedressups.com/. She has seen the immense benefits princess dress up costumes and boy costumes has made in the life of her kids.
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