As you travel along the road of parenthood, it becomes increasingly obvious what a child needs physically. Good nutrition, a roof to live under, a place to sleep and clothing are the necessities. The necessities of life that just about every human being needs, come naturally as part of our parenting. While these items certainly make for happy children, the key to a child being completely happy, depends upon both their physical and emotional needs being met.
Happy Children- The Basics
The basics a child needs for physical health are:
- Nutritional foods.
- Clothing that is free of rips and tears.
- Adequate sleeping quarters and a place to call home.
- Daily Exercise.
- Annual well-child visits with a pediatrician.
The basics for physical health seem to be second nature. Most adults need these things to live a happier life as well. One area of parenthood that can get challenging, especially as your children ages, is the meeting all of their emotional requirements.
The basics a child needs for emotional health are:
- High self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Unconditional Love from family members.
- Secure and safe environments.
- Consistent rules and consequences.
- The opportunity to be social with other children.
Building your child up from a young age with positive words is a great start. Let your child know how good they are at their special talent or sport. Giving kind words and providing support will help ensure the child grows to have high self-esteem and self-confidence. Making sure that your child also has consistent rules and consequences for not following those rules will enable them to understand self-control. Allowing children to socialize with other children helps them increase happiness because they are engaging in friendship skills and have like-minded peers to relate to.
Children are human beings too, they have needs that aren’t always communicated in a way we understand. One of your biggest jobs as a parent is to ensure you are meeting both the physical and emotional needs for each of your children to ensure true happiness.
What all children need for happiness really comes down to making sure that you provide them with the necessities of life. In addition, a safe and secure environment to grow in should also be provided. When you provide children with unconditional love in a place where they feel comfortable in their own skin, confident to speak their thoughts and the support to blossom into well-rounded individuals, then you will find that you have succeeded in providing what all children need for happiness.