Life Well Lived

Recently I was asked to be part of the "Life Well Lived", "Getting Happy" blogger panel.  The question this week was...

How do you teach the children in your life happiness?

I mulled and mulled and mulled over this question.  I'm not completely sure you can teach anyone happiness.

Luckily, our son seems to be incredibly happy and I'm sure I had some part in it but it took me a while to think through what I may have done to contribute to his happiness.

This is what I came up with and the best advice I could give another parent:

BE HAPPY.  

I know, it's so much easier said than done.  And you never want to constantly put on a happy face because your child won't know that other emotions exist but try you best to exude happiness.  I am a firm believer that happiness is a choice. I choose it everyday.  My husband and I laugh a lot. We're silly.  We revert to our inner child. We try to find the good in a world full of a lot of bad.  I think that is really important.  

Choose happiness and live it. 

Secondly, 

FOSTER WHAT YOUR CHILD LOVES TO DO

If we notice Aidan has a true, genuine interest in something, we jump in head first.  We learn more about it, we spend time letting him pursue it. We encourage him.  He loves to spend time outside. Everyday when he gets home from pre school, he knows I'm going to let him get an hour in out in the sunshine.  Whether I'm out there with him or watching him from the kitchen window, I know he's so content digging in the dirt or running back and forth with the dog.  He loves firetrucks.  So we take him to the fire station, we watch YouTube videos on the iPad of fire fighters, we read books about firetrucks and stations.  We pay attention to what intrigues him, to what makes him tick.

And I have to tell you, I don't know where it came from but on a daily basis Aidan says to us "I'm so happy."   I can only HOPE that I've had a little bit to do with that. 

So tell me, What are you doing to teach your child happiness? I'm curious to know!

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