Shirlee Smith | Parents Ain’t Happy

Home environment sets the tone. Unfortunately too many parents don’t see things that way.

“All he wanna do is fight,” said the distraught father about his young son. It’s okay to take up for yourself but nowadays being a bully gets kids in trouble, dad went on to explain.

How many smiles are going on at home? How many words of encouragement are shared between the parents and shared with the children? Any laughs going on at the home front?

Well, Dad admits he likes to tease his kids and says they all have fun doing this, but sadly he did remember times when the son would cry when he was picked on.

August is National Admit You’re Happy Month and just maybe we parents can try a few strategies to improve the home environment and get some happiness going on.

When life is turbulent, who has the energy to be happy?

Let’s not think for even one moment that our kids don’t catch the unhappy vibes we spread. And as for the son who just wants to fight, that characteristic was due to a not so happy home environment

Spreading a little happiness is encouraging children to do their best and not being critical when they don’t perform at the parent’s level of expectation.

Perhaps eliminating the practice of placing parental burdens on the shoulders of the kids and while doing this taking a positive spin on what we have labeled a burden.

Easier said than done; that’s for sure!

A National Admit Being Happy Month does sound a little on the wacky side but think of these proclaimed National Months as a simple way to get us thinking.

As parents, we’d have little trouble adhering to a National Be Grumpy Month because we’ve watched our children become inconsiderate, selfish, and mean-spirited, and we see them exhibit a host of other negative qualities,

We often hear the kids complain that they’re unhappy. How often do we hear them say, “I’m so happy”?

Well, how often do parents proclaim happiness? As is usually the case, darn it, parents set the stage and the kids follow suit whether it’s being grumpy or admitting to being happy.

 

Shirlee Smith is a former Pasadena Star-News Opinion Columnist. She is a Los Angeles Press Club first place awardee and author of They’re Your Kids, Not Your Friends and the Spanish edition, “Son Tus Hijos, No Tus Amigos.” Smith can be reached by email at talkaboutparenting@gmail.com.