think HAPPY

Deep in India, there is a school that doesn’t promote academics as its first priority. This unique school focuses instead on teaching its young students how to be happy. The concept is in direct opposition of global culture. We allow our happiness to be dependent on other people, how we do in school, or how much money we make. The result is that even the people who are successful can still be miserable.

This school is focused on changing that, but only time will tell if it works. We certainly don’t want to have to move to India or wait till our child grows up in the hopes that they will be happy. Luckily, happiness is something that can be taught, and studies show that happy kids make successful adults.

While sometimes we have to make decisions for a child based on what is best for them, such as eating healthy and doing chores, here are a few things you can do to help them learn how to be happy.

model happiness

Just like in so many other aspects of parenting, you can’t expect your child to be happy if you are always miserable. Remember the saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” We tend to be harder on kids when we are grumpy ourselves. Even a baby can tell when you are being petty! This can stem from depression or simply needing a nap. If you are always sad, ask your doctor for help, and don’t be ashamed—your kids need you to be happy. If it’s just a bad mood, try taking that nap or even taking a walk. You might feel a whole lot better, and so will your kids.

teach your children emotional intelligence

We’ve all heard of IQ before, the measurement of intelligence. Did you know there is also an EQ? This measurement focuses on how much you understand emotion. 54% of all successes (including relationship, educational, and career achievements) could be predicted by how much EQ the student has.

Unlike IQ, emotional intelligence is something you can develop and make stronger over time. As parents, we can help guide our children through the process of developing those all-important EQ skills by helping them learn to identify their feelings and the feelings of others, regulate their own emotions, and develop the social skills necessary to know what to do when they identify those feelings.

We need to reassure them that it’s okay and normal for them to feel every emotion (even anger, fear and sadness). What is more important, however, is how they express what they’re feeling. For example, you can tell your child it is okay and understandable that they are mad at their little sister for knocking down their block tower, but it is not okay to throw them at her.

So, it is vital that we teach our children that they are okay to feel any emotion, discuss ways they can express what they feel in a healthy manner and reassure them that they have the power to let it go and decide to be happy.

A child with high EQ is far more likely to be successful because they are able to recognize, communicate, learn from and control their emotions. They are able to take these skills and navigate their way to a more happy and fulfilling life.

teach your child positive self-talk

It’s never too early to start teaching your children how to think positively, including internal monologue. By helping your child to rephrase the things they say, you can make them happier overall. After all, there is no one your child spends more time with then themselves, so if their internal monologue is constantly cranky, it can make for a miserable experience.

Just teaching them how to not verbally abuse themselves can make a huge difference for the rest of their lives. You can read more about helping your kids with positive self-talk in our ‘CHEER yourself on’ blog.

Everyone wants their child to be happy. There is no better practice than taking the time to teach them the art of happiness, no matter what their age.

books sure to make your kids smile

Encourage your children to embrace positivity and happiness with these uplifting stories. Through engaging narratives and lovable characters, these books teach young readers the power of positive thinking and the importance of finding joy in everyday life.