7 Guideposts to Raising a Well-Adjusted, Caring, Happy Child

Parenting comes with a lot of anxiety. Am I doing this right? Will my child succeed? Am I messing her up? Psychologists at Harvard University found 7 guideposts to raising a well-adjusted, caring, happy child.

Spend quality time with your child.

Communicate openly, listen closely, connect by doing things together (screen free), read to them, and acknowledge their emotions. Children learn caring and respect when they are treated that way.

Help children develop self-control and manage feelings effectively.

Set clear boundaries, teach conflict resolution strategies, identify feelings, and help them learn self-control.

Let your kids see a strong moral role model and mentor in you.

Monkey see, monkey do, right? Model good habits, manners, humility, and honesty. Admit your mistakes, apologize, and tell your child how you learned from it. We are all human.

Teach your child to care for others and set high ethical expectations.

Teach them to do the right thing, even when it is hard. Responsibilities and obligations are important: chores, school, manners, teams, friends, and promises. Send the message that “The most important thing is that you are kind and you are happy.”

Provide opportunities for children to practice caring, appreciation, and gratitude.

People who practice gratitude regularly are more likely to be generous, healthy, helpful, compassionate, forgiving, and happy.

Promote children’s ability to be ethical thinkers and positive change-makers in their communities.

The best way to help our children become ethical thinkers and leaders is to listen to them thoughtfully. As parents, we must be willing to truly hear them and face their moral dilemmas with compassion. It will take time, effort and commitment on our part; but the rewards are tremendous! When we do all this, we help create caring communities in which our children can grow up healthy, happy and productive.

Expand your child’s circle of concern.

Teaching children the skills they need to get along with others is the key to a happy, successful adulthood. That's why we should agree on rules for appropriate behavior and make sure everyone follows them.

  Source: Making Caring Common Project, Harvard University