As parents, we seek to provide a strong foundation for our children and do we what we can to increase their chances of happiness in adulthood, including giving them the tools to deal with adversity and to sustain joy. Edward Hallowell’s book, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, gives some great advice on ways to help children maintain and build healthy connections, discover talents, master skills, take on new challenges, and develop a sense of confidence and resiliency that will benefit them now and into the future.
As taken from Hallowell’s book and website, here are five ways that children gain confidence and a foundation of happiness that may help them throughout their lives, as well as some practical tips on what parents can do to help encourage these “roots of joy”:
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Connect - Feeling rooted gives children a foundation of security. Children need unconditional love from one or both parents and benefit when they have close ties to their extended family, feel part of their school, and help care for pets.
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Play - Make sure your child’s /student’s free time isn’t too programmed and regimented. Open-ended play, in which children can invent scenarios and solve problems by themselves, helps them discover their talents and use their own resources.
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Practice - When kids find out what they’re good at, they’ll want to do it again and again. But sometimes you may have to do some gentle nudging to ensure that your child /student sticks to an activity and experiences a sense of accomplishment.
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Mastery - From practice comes mastery. When children achieve a skill – whether it’s learning to tie their shoes, play the piano, draw a flower, complete a math problem, or build a birdhouse – they’re further motivated to tackle new challenges. And that leads to a can-do attitude.
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Recognition - Approval and support from one’s parents, teachers, and peers for a job well done reconnect children to the wider world. When kids think what they do affects their family, classmates, and team, they’re more likely to exhibit moral behavior and, ultimately, to feel good about themselves.
Download our e-book for practical tips and additional ways to help your child gain confidence and establish roots of happiness.
