7 Scientific Tips For Raising Happy & Healthy Kids

Parenting, as established by many authors and many articles, has no magic rule or guideline. It is a process where you learn as you go. Live Science, in an article has shared some tips on how parents can raise happy and emotionally healthy kids. Read 7 of those tips below:

1. Don’t be fooled by their height

Most times children grow at an alarming rate, especially when they reach adolescence, which lasts for about 10 years, ages 11 – 19. No matter how tall they get or how grown up they look, your kids are still kids who need help and guidance because they are still in a developmental phase that will affect the rest of their lives.

2. Live in the moment

Tovah Klein, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development in New York City, tells Live Science that more often than not, adults tend to think about the future, but kids, especially toddlers and pre-preschoolers live in the here and now. To get on your kid’s level, you need to learn how to live and enjoy the moment too. Even though there are a thousand and one things you are thinking about as a parent, you need to push all that aside and just enjoy whatever it is that interests your child, so they grow up happy.

3. Help them understand how they feel

In the same light, kids between the ages of 2 to 5 are still trying to understand and get a hold of their emotions. Feelings like fear, frustration or disappointment are new to them. You can tell from their expressions or actions, how they feel. As a parent, you can help them identify and cope with these emotions. When your 3-year-old accidentally spills her cup of milk and is crying about it, tell her its okay to be disappointed, and then guide her and show her how to clean up the mess.

4. Limit distractions

Many parents are guilty of checking emails, Facebook, reading or replying to whatsapp messages or social media feeds while spending quality time with their kids. It will be hard to be really engaged with your kids if you’re distracted by a bunch of other things. And this distraction can take a toll on children, who might feel like you’re not really there for them when your attention is divided. When you are spending quality time with your kids, make sure everything else is put aside.

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5. Be polite

You want your children to be well mannered? Try adding the words “please” and “thank you” to your own vocabulary, especially when talking to your them. African parents see this as “unnatural” as they would rather dish out commands. Kids learn how to interact with others mainly by observing how grown ups do it and then trying to imitate that behavior. So ensure that your own behaviour is worthy of emulation.

6. Remember, teenage tantrums are real

Adolescent kids deal with a lot of social, emotional and mental stress that they don’t yet have the ability to fully cope with. This can result in some serious tantrums, which might surprise parents. In such situations, parents should stay calm and listen to their children, says Sheryl Feinstein, author of “Inside the Teenage Brain: Parenting a Work in Progress“.

7. Stick to the basics

There are a lot of ways to raise children. The way you raise your own children may be different from your friends’ upbringing techniques. Why? Because all children are different. However, the basic rule that cuts across parenting in every case, is fostering a secure and warm attachment with your kids. That way they know their needs will be met and they will know that whenever they have any problems, they have someone to confide in: You.