We all derive happiness from different experiences, places, and people, and the same is true for our children. As parents, many of us prioritize our kids' happiness above a lot — including our own happiness and even our health and well-being. We are also inundated with studies, articles, and even documentaries that all tell us just how important it is that our children are happy.
Of course, figuring out what really makes our children and our families happy is an entirely different thing. While it's easy to point to receiving an unexpected treat, like an ice cream cone or a new toy, as a source of instant happiness, that's not the kind of feeling that children learn from and take into their lives.
While that kind of happiness does matter, it's really important that our children learn how to feel, experience, and express happiness that comes from less-tangible sources. Here are a few ideas for making any day a happy day for your kids.
1. Start the Day With Light
A lot of us have probably been using all kinds of tricks to keep our kids' bedrooms super dark so they sleep all night — blackout curtains, completely closed blinds, even a blanket over the window will work! While that's understandable, one thing you can do that will help your children wake up with a sense of happiness is to literally let the light in.
You can even make opening the curtains a whole activity unto itself — maybe you sing a special song together while you greet the day, or an older sibling comes in to help rouse a younger one.
2. Start Family Planning Time
One activity that can help boost happiness in your children is looping them in on your daily, weekly, or monthly planning sessions. You can even make a whole event of it. Settle everyone around the kitchen table or on the couch with your calendar of choice (a planner, a phone, or a physical calendar all work!), and let everyone from the oldest to the youngest weigh in on how they spend their time. That doesn't mean everyone gets what they want (my kid would love to play video games for eight hours a day, but that isn't happening), but it does mean that everyone can be seen and heard.
Kids tend to thrive when they make their own plans or at least get to have input into how their time is spent.
3. Have a Dance Party After Breakfast
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the world in general, your kids probably are, too. One way to help everyone immediately unwind and de-stress is to dance your feelings right on out of your bodies. Start having family dance parties after breakfast, before everyone has to focus on their individual tasks (work, school, and so on). If you only have time for one song, take turns picking each day so that everyone feels represented.
4. Cook Meals Together
As much as we might all like to, there's not always enough time in the day to cook each meal for our families. But if you do find yourself putting together something delicious over the stove, let your kids join in! Make sure you let them do things to the best of their ability, even if it's not perfect — you'll survive if a few ingredients get spilled or knocked over in the process.
5. Get Outside As Much As You Can
We all live pretty digital lives these days, even our youngest school-aged kids! Even if you only have time for a quick walk up and down your street, make sure you and your kids spend a little time together outside each day. Taking a walk around the block is a wonderful way to reset your emotions and physical self if homework is challenging, work was stressful, or you just feel like catching some sunshine.
6. Get Into Their Interests
One of the best pieces of parenting advice I've ever received was to make sure I'm always genuinely interested in something that my child loves so we can keep connecting in a real way throughout his life. I've taken that to heart.
For example, while YouTube isn't really my thing, my kid loves watching video game reviewers and would probably do so for hours. I found one that he loves and that I like a lot (Macro, if you're curious), and I'll sit down and watch a few of his videos whenever my son asks me to.
Kids usually have a lot of different interests, and as they age, those can diverge from what we've exposed them to. It really helps both of you feel happier when you can share something together.
7. Write Letters for Family and Friends
The idea of sending snail mail through the US Postal Service is pretty novel for a lot of our kids, but it can be really fun to work on a few letters together and to send them to family and friends. You can even make an event out of picking out stationery and stamps that you both love, and then settle in and write a few notes to mail out. While you're writing, you can connect with your kids and find out what's on their minds just by seeing what they decide to put in each letter, and you'll all get to bond in the process.
