Raise Smarter, Happier Kids!

• Believe in your children. Believing in your children makes them feel capable, worthy and more confident. When you notice something good in them or their actions be quick to express your genuine admiration, love and care. They'll feel able to accomplish wonderful things and to be the best that they can be.

• Praise their efforts not their intelligence. When you praise your child's efforts, you show them that effort is something that they can control. They can choose how much effort to put into an activity. This shows them the importance of persistence and through effort they can grow and learn.

​• Eat dinner together. According to The Secrets of Happy Families, children who have dinner with their families are less likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, get pregnant, become depressed, and develop eating disorders. They have larger vocabularies, better manners, healthier diets, and higher self-esteem.

​• Make logical and reasonable rules and boundaries. Parents who are consistent in enforcing rules and boundaries become the closest with their children. According to a Penn State study by Dr. Nancy Darling and Dr. Linda Caldwell, parents that set logical rules pertaining to key principles of influence, and explain why the rules are there, engage more closely with the children and ultimately have a happier, healthier relationship with them. 

• Healthy peer relationships. Your children's friends have a tremendous impact on their long-term happiness and educational aspirations.
   Don't only talk to our children about peer pressure when it's negative, as more often than not peer pressure can be something positive. Making sure your children associate with the right peers can make a world of difference. 

• Encourage your children to write a gratitude journal. Children who are able to write down 5 things they're grateful for every day, are happier, more optimistic and healthier.