An article by Angela Kidd

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What parents want most for their child

Parents want to provide their children everything - food, shelter, education... But most of all, what parents wish for is that their child has a happy and memorable childhood, and that they grow up finding love, success and happiness on their own. As a parent, you can only do so much - but a few parenting methods might work while you're raising them.

Follow these 3 secrets to raising a happy child:

1 A connected child is a happy child

If your child feels connected (to you, to the people around him and to his environment), it's a big factor that contributes to his lifelong emotional well-being. This is because he feels that he belongs and not left out - he feels loved, needed, understood, acknowledged and wanted. This connectedness is hand in hand with happiness and experts have proven through studies that this was the biggest protector against risky behaviour, emotional distress and even suicidal thoughts later in life. To achieve connectedness, never miss the chance to show your child that he is loved. Also give him plenty of opportunities to form loving connections with others as well like relatives, friends and even pets.

2 Happiness isn't short-term

If you raise your child giving in to their every demand and desire, you're not setting them up for long-term happiness. If you try too hard to keep them happy in the short-term, they'll grow up thinking that's how life works when in fact, that's not how. Many parents think that they are responsible for their child's happiness and they have difficulty allowing them to feel negative emotions such as anger, sadness and frustration. Kids who grow up this way never truly learn how to deal with negative emotions and are in more in danger of being emotionally crushed when they grow up. Be there for your child in times of distress - but don't try to "fix" everything. Allow him to develop resilience and coping skills on his own.

3 Nurture your own happiness

Happy kids are more likely to have come from a happy home with happy parents. While you can't control your child's happiness, you are the captain of your own. If you're always grumpy, angry, tired and in a bad mood, that's what your child will absorb. On the other hand, if they see that you are always in a good mood, they will most likely be in one, too. so try these 3 secrets to raising a happy child!

Angela Kidd is an author and illustrator, a wife and a mother to 2 beautiful kids. In her spare time, she would personally create storybooks and colouring books for her children for fun and they loved it.. And so did she. Angela quit her job and created her own line of educational activity books for children of various ages, with the main goal of making learning fun! You can check out some of Angela's amazing books here.

We just love her African Fauna Colouring Book