Joy is one of the basic emotions of human beings. It favors communication, allows us to share the good moments of the day to day and generates positive energy that is very beneficial for us and our families.
Joy also helps us to release the tensions of the body, providing us with security and helping us to appreciate the positive side of life. For all this, it is a key factor to take into account to enjoy good physical and emotional health.
As parents we must promote joy in our children during their childhood, help them recognize it, know how to manage it, enjoy it and share it with others.
How to promote joy in your children
- As in all other aspects of education, we must set an example. It is essential that we know how to recognize the good things in our life and be able to enjoy the little things. Sometimes it is easy to focus on problems and focus all our energy on them. Teach them to enjoy the little things that are part of their lives. Of art, music, nature, beauty, etc.
- Avoid minimizing the positive emotions of your children. Children should feel free to show their joy and enjoy it. Listen to them and share that joy with them, you will see how easy it is to catch it.
- Help them maintain a positive attitude in their lives, viewing difficult situations not as negative but as an opportunity to learn and improve their skills.
- Set affordable goals. Make sure they focus more on the process than the results. In this way they will learn the meaning of effort and will increase their tolerance for frustration.
- A positive and happy atmosphere is ideal to fill it with laughter and good humor. Think about how you could generate moments of joy with your children. Remember how quickly time passes and children's childhoods.
Keys to enhance joy and happiness in children
The movement. Children need to move, run, jump, jump, dance, etc. to feel happy. Unfortunately our society and sources of leisure are increasingly sedentary.
Natural light. Wide spaces with natural light and contact with nature are essential for children to feel happy and for their proper development.
The autonomy. It is essential that children are aware of their needs and that they learn to express them. We must not anticipate this process or perform actions that they are capable of executing by themselves. Autonomy is closely linked to good self-esteem, essential to feel positive and happy.
Read more
If you are interested in knowing more about this topic, I recommend the book 'Educating joy' by the publisher Declée De Brouwer (2017). According to its author, Pepa Horno, a psychologist specialized in affective development in childhood and adolescence, the keys to educating in joy are self-care and the awareness of the educator.