How to raise a happy and successful child?

Raising happy children is not about giving them instant satisfaction or instant happiness. In fact, it is the opposite. You can help your children to be good people by adopting healthy living habits.

Let them play outside

Don't underestimate the power of outdoor play. Running on the grass, climbing trees, sitting on a swing, and digging in the dirt is good for children. They must be in touch with nature. Scents associated with nature, such as pine, cut grass, and lavender can improve your child's mood. Therefore, you could encourage your child to read a book outside or do homework on the terrace. Or put your umbrella and go walking with the kid, or make a Snowman when it is snowing. Outdoor play can also improve children's social skills.

Limit the time in front of the screen

Your child may insist on sitting in front of the screen for hours. But, it is not healthy for them. Too much time in front of the screen is bad for your child's psychological well-being. A 2018 study found that adolescents who spent less time on their digital devices and more on non-screen activities - such as sports, homework, hobbies, and other personal activities - were happier.

Don't buy them everything they want

Buying a child a lot of gifts for the holidays or giving him everything he wants will not really make him happy. In fact, excessive enjoyment of children can actually affect their psychological well-being. So resist the urge to give your children everything they want. Although they could insist that they will be happy to have the latest smartphone, branded clothes, and a better bicycle - research indicates the opposite. They must learn that happiness is not in material things.

Practice gratitude

Incorporating gratitude into your daily life could help children become happier, healthier people. But keep in mind that there is a big difference between forcing "thank you" and the sincere meaning of gratitude. One of the best ways to help children become sincerely grateful is to model gratitude. Express gratitude when you are grateful for something to someone else. Expressing gratitude for the things your children do will teach them to do the same. They learn from examples and repeating. Gratitude people are happier people, they enjoy better relationships. Make it a family habit to talk about the things you are grateful for. Identify three things you are grateful for at the table or talk about what you are grateful for at bedtime. This will help your children learn to look for things they can be grateful for in their daily lives. Every evening, before sleeping we talk about the past day and thank God for everything that happened that day. We thank God because we have to eat, drink, for a cozy bed, warm home.

Have high expectations - but not too high

While it is not fun to spend hours learning for a test or practicing a musical instrument, children who tend to do hard things are more likely to live happier lives. Studies show that when parents have high academic expectations of their children - children are better educated and last longer in difficult tasks. Great expectations are also associated with school and social resilience. Your children will strive to meet your expectations as long as your expectations are reasonable. Setting a ladder too high for your child's success is likely to be counterproductive.

Learn self-control

A study from 2014. found that people with better self-control report more good mood. People with better self-control were also not as often embarrassed as other people. They basically set themselves up to be happy.

Present them tasks and responsibilities

Your children will certainly not be happy to clean the room or wipe the dust from the living room. But assigning jobs could be a key factor in helping children achieve long-term happiness. One study found that doing little tasks with children aged 3 and 4 is the biggest predictor of long-term success. It is possible that children who are engaged in the house working feel as if they are useful, and that helps them feel connected to their family. And that sense of connection can help them stay mentally strong when they encounter difficult times. Homework can also teach children various life lessons as responsibility and socially useful work. It can also teach them that they can fight with boring tasks or that they are able to be persistent even when they feel frustrated. It can also give them a sense of accomplishment and show them that even though they are young, they are capable of making changes.

So, help your children in the long term, not just for now. Maybe it will not be pleasant at this time but in the future, they will be grateful for all things you are doing now for them. And you will feel fantastic when you see them as happy and successful people.