Focusing only on academic performance of kids may not work. Parents must also motivate kids to perform activities that help to boost their wellbeing and happiness. Read on to learn how to boost wellbeing and happiness of children.In today’s fiercely competitive world parents can become too focused on the academic performance of their children and forget that there are other important aspects of life. Psychiatrists say that parents have an instrumental role to play when it comes to boosting the well being and happiness of their children. Here are some simple ways in which you can start making a positive effect on the lives of your children and make them feel loved and happy.
Positive Re-Enforcement
Child psychiatrists say that children are greatly benefitted by positive feedback and experience an enhancement of
self confidence and feelings of self worth. You can try this simple exercise to practice giving positive feedback to your children. List down all the positive qualities on a piece of paper that your children have. For example; being good at drawing, having great computer skills, being superb at spellings etc.
Write down separate lists for each of your kids and keep adding to them as you get to know new things with time. Now keep saying one item from this list to your child some times without being too obvious about it. Just insert a statement which says something about the
positive quality of your child into an everyday conversation without making your intention obvious.
Play Games with Your Children
In today’s world children are all addicted to mind numbing and violent video games. These electronic games reduce social interaction, reduce
concentration, encourage nightmares and have a general negative effect on health. The best way to channelize the game playing sessions into generating positive effects on your children is to include yourself in them.
Teach your kids to solve cross word
puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and to play board games as they enhance the coordination skills of your children. Gradually your children will start bonding with you over these games and you will see them grow happier and more involved.
Recognize Efforts
Recognition of your children’s efforts or good work will exert a tremendous positive effect on their psyche and make them happier and more assertive adults in future. Whenever your child scores good grades, participates in some kind of positive community work or creatively expresses something; make a note of the achievement.
You can try casually talking about the effort or achievement in front of guests as this will make your child feel good. You can also frame your child’s latest painting and put it on your mantel or on top of the refrigerator. When your children feel that their everyday efforts are being recognized then they will strive harder and eventually become better humans.
Invite Participation
Often parents exclude children from all important activities and responsibilities at home assuming that they will not be able to handle those tasks. However, this attitude only makes children feel left out and hampers their self confidence and makes them lose interest in home responsibilities.
Make sure that you and your partner invite your kids in some chores like wiping the dishes or watering the plants. You can also involve them in fun activities like baking chocolate chip cookies or putting the icing on cake as this will interest as well as enthral children.
When the job is well done do make sure that you
praise your kids for their efforts too as this will help them become more interested in domestic responsibilities. Also they will become happier individuals when they realize that they are also capable of contributing positively in the world of adults.
Practice Physical Demonstration of Affection
Child psychiatrists and counsellors say that the children need to be exposed to physical demonstrations of love like hugs, kisses and cuddles from parents to make them feel wanted and loved. Child psychiatrists say that stroking your child’s head while crooning him or her to sleep is a good way to demonstrate affection in a physical yet non obtrusive way. With older kids you can use a pat on the back, peck on the cheeks or even handshakes to make them feel appreciated. Make sure that physical demonstration of affection happens regularly as this will definitely make your children happier and better adjusted in life.
If you follow these tips sincerely you are sure to make a positive difference to the sense of self worth of your children.
Which activities should not be ignored by parents? What can parents do to boost well being and happiness of kids? What can affect the well being and happiness of kids? Discuss here.
