Today (March 20th) is International Day of Happiness, and, as such, we’ve decided to focus on five ways parents can help their children feel safe, loved, and happy!
Encourage playing outside
Fresh air and a little sunshine go a long way to inducing happy feelings. The more fresh air your child gets, the more oxygen they will breathe, which will increase the amount of serotonin (the happy hormone) they inhale, consequently making them happier. On the other hand, excessive screen usage might have a negative impact on your child’s mental health. Research published in Emotion indicated that children who spent less time on their digital devices and more time engaging in activities such as outdoor play were happy.
Let them count their blessings
Teach your child to express thankfulness in their daily lives. Your child can write down 10 things they’re grateful for, even if it’s been a bad day. In this way, they won’t be able to focus on the bad.
Make hugging a priority
Hugging makes kids feel happy, especially if the hug is from someone they love, like mom or dad. To get the most love out of a hug, it needs to last seven seconds or more. This is an easy way to make your child feel extra special. Hugging your child often builds trust and a sense of safety.
Use positive reinforcement
To raise a happy and confident child, you need to give your child a lot of positive feedback. You need to show your child how much you care when he does something right. When we use positive reinforcement, we can tap into our kids’ unique strengths, draw attention to their personality traits and interests. As a result, we can connect, communicate more effectively, and ultimately help them become more of who they are.
Remember, happiness is contagious
Children can pick up on the emotions of those closest to them. If you’re happy, your child will be happy too. Let your child know that there is always a reason to be happy no matter what happens in life.
