Want Happier Kids? Start by Looking at Their Home Environment
A home is a place where children should find a suitable environment where they feel safe and are able to improve their knowledge and overall development. Parents play a major role in this and should encourage their children’s development. That being said, there are many other factors that come into play when you want to create a happy and healthy environment for your children as they grow older.
If you want your children to be happier or, they don’t seem to be their usual selves, then you need to look inside your home. What can you improve to create a better environment for your family?
Be There For Emotional Support
One of the things that you should always ensure when you are a parent is to give your children emotional support when they need it. As we all know, children can be horrible at school and this can affect your children, especially their mood and learning. However, you shouldn’t just be there if your children are getting bullied, you should be there to help with their confidence and communication skills. To ensure you give them the right emotional support, you should give them both verbal and non-verbal support.
Never stop giving them unconditional love at home because this can help with their development. Always be present because slight neglect of parenting can impact your children. Always encourage them to bring out their emotions when it is needed and finally, be their comfort when needed, no matter the issue.
Read: Supporting Your Children Through a Move: Key Strategies for Parents
Be Open With Your Children
Communication is very important with your children as well which will also create a better environment for them. Creating an environment where it is free for the children to speak is essential for their confidence. Additionally, this can help to improve their social skills and be better at problem-solving with communication.
There are a few ways that you can encourage communication and one of the best and most simple methods would be to ask them how their day went at school. What did they do, what did they eat? Who did they speak to the most? All of these questions can spiral into more in-depth conversations which you should always look to encourage with your children.
Giving your children positive feedback will also be good, especially when it comes to their achievements at school. Even something as simple as making their bed in the morning can be a small habit that benefits them. If they do this without you asking then you can say well done to them.
Create Routines and Boundaries
A routine is something that should be encouraged with their children. Routines can help build discipline and a good routine for your children that they can carry on to their early teenage years.
When a child has a structure or a routine in their lifestyle, their development is much better. This includes a regular sleep schedule and even sporting activities after school once or twice a week.
So how do you create a routine for your children? First, you need to create a healthy morning and afternoon routine. This goes as far as your schedule. Keep their wake-up time at the same time in the morning and the time they go to bed at night. Also, give them regular chores that are age-appropriate. We previously discussed making their bed in the morning which is one job. Another job would be to today their room once a week or even help with the dishes. All of these can help build habits.
Encourage Physical Health and Well-Being
Something else that is strongly advised is for you to promote physical health and overall well-being. This is something that should be heavily encouraged in regard to their mental well-being and making them happier. But how do you promote physical health with children?
Encouraging them to play a sport is always advised when they are younger. This can include individual sports and team sports which are all good for the development of your children. Team sports can help their social skills as well as keep them fit and healthy. Solo sports can encourage discipline and individual motivation to better themselves.
Processed foods are something that can affect a child’s development so you need to ensure that they have healthy foods. So, you need to ensure they have nutritious meals every single day. Even their school dinners need to be nutritious.
Home Improvements
Home improvements are something else that you can consider in regard to improving your children’s happiness. This includes the cleanliness of your home and good air quality. In the winter, you need to ensure that your home is warm and has a good central heating system.
Additionally, it needs to be well insulated so if they have a playroom or a gaming room in the conservatory, ensure this is well-insulated. If you have a polycarbonate roof then consider a conservatory conversion to have a solid roof fitted and conservatory insulation to provide that extra warmth.