10 ways to help your child de-stress and be happy

Nobody ever said parenting would be easy, we often blame ourselves when our children aren’t happy or stressed out, but that’s often not the case. There are ways that we can help our children to de-stress and be happy. Here are 10 ways to help your child de-stress and be happy;

Lesson #1: How was school?

If you visit proper academic papers and government reports, you’ll find that far too many families hinder their children’s development. A study by Hart and Risley suggested that by age 4, children raised in low-income families will have heard 32 million fewer words than children raised in professional families. To add to the woe, it’s not just quantity; it’s also the emotional tone.

So please speak a lot and, where possible, couch your language in the 8:1 ratio of positive to negative. Say instead of ‘how was school?’ why not upgrade to ‘what was the highlight of your day?’ or what was the funniest or most amazing thing you’ve done today?’ Say it as you mean it and, of course, properly listen to the answer. You will be rewarded with an increased likelihood of a positive conversation.

Lesson #2: Celebrate strengths

As parents, we have a lot to answer for. Too much love and encouragement give children an inflated idea of what they can do. Witness the early rounds of the prime-time talent shows where the kid has been bigged up so much that they believe the parental hype. The viewer reaches for our earplugs as the performer refuses to accept the truth of their wailing banshee voice. And yet too little love and encouragement mean we’re crippled emotionally. You can have the best voice on the planet but no confidence to get up there and belt it out.

Many people beat themselves up about what they’re not good at to the point that it stops them from celebrating what they are good at. Make sure you are a strengths spotter for your child.

Lesson #3: The 7-second hug

Everyone needs a hug; sometimes, it helps your child feel safe and give them some reassurance. I started delving into the research behind this and then thought, sod it, nobody cares what the stats say. Here’s the headline news – the average hug lasts just over 2 seconds. If you hang on for a full 7 seconds, then oodles of nice warm chemicals flow around both bodies and the love is transferred. One word of advice, don’t count out loud while you’re doing the 7-second hug as it tends to spoil the effect.

Lesson #4: Monday is the new Friday

Here’s a terrifying fact for your child – a seventh of their year is going to consist of Mondays. That’s too much time to write off. So dare to stand out by celebrating the awesomeness of Mondays. Mondays are a chance for your children to get stuck into a new school week, learn something new and make a dent in the universe.

Lesson #5: Gratitude

If your child feels a bit down, get everyone in your family to write a list of 10 things they really appreciate but take for granted. Then compare lists (top tip, make sure your partner is near the top of your list!)

Spookily enough, top of everyone’s list will be family and health. Kids will likely have wifi and PlayStation up there too. But the point is that too many people spend too much time moaning about what they haven’t got. Happy folk are much more grateful for what they have got. Look at your 10 things. #OMG, How lucky are you?

Lesson #6: Praise for effort rather than talent

Teaching your child a good working ethos starts at school. Positive psychology’s advice is that if your child accomplishes something, don’t say, ‘Well done; you are such a little genius!’ But rather, ‘Awesome, you put the effort in and got the reward.’

Here’s a concrete example. If your daughter does well in a mock maths exam, don’t high-five, ‘Holy cow, total genius girl. You were born to do algebra.’ You’d be better off saying, ‘Amazing result. That’s what practice and hard work get ya!’ and ruffle her hair in a chummy fashion.

Lesson #7: The digital detox

The time you have together as a family is precious and finite, particularly after the holidays. Before you know it, they are adults and have flown the nest, so make sure to turn off your electronic devices and spend more time with your real flesh and blood family. Happiness is a social thing.

Lesson #8: The four-minute rule

Practise the four-minute rule. This is a phrase that came from a guru friend of mine, Steve McDermott, and I love its simplicity. Basically, your emotions are contagious. They leak out of you and ‘infect’ your family around you. So to help your family beat the back to school blues, make the conscious choice to be positive and upbeat, it takes four minutes for other family members to catch it too. So be enthusiastic for 4 minutes, and everyone else will feel great too!

Lesson #9: The gift of positivity

When you’re thinking of passing down your inheritance, be sure to remember that it’s not just a lump of cash and a bit of jewellery. You are passing down habits, knowledge, mindsets and cognitive traits. Your positivity can set your child up for life!

Lesson #10: Make time

Any family is only as happy as their least happy child. Rather than avoiding them, make sure you aren’t too busy to invest time with your children, and be genuinely interested in what they’re up to. This is such an important point – I should probably have included it at number 1!

For more tips on just about anything, check out Ten Ways To.

Dr Andy Cope is a happiness expert and bestselling author of The Diary of a Brilliant Kid available on Amazon. Find out more about Andy at www.artofbrilliance.co.uk