If parents are happier than non-parents, why are brothers and sisters so different, discipline, sleep, the dangers of television, etc…

One of the many reasons why raising a child is an impossible job is that everyone gives you advice, and most of them are junk.

Honestly, we have all come to such an amazing level.

Therefore, challenge the trend of random anecdotes and superstitions, which are ten recent psychological studies that all parents should know.

Parents are happier than non-parents.

In recent years, some studies have shown that enjoyment is more fun than having children.

“Ha!” the parents said secretly, “I know!”

But development is not the case: new research shows that, on average, parents feel better every day than non-parents, and they prefer to take care of children than children. Other activities (Nelson et al., 2013)…

Especially for parents, their children will feel a lot of positive emotions and happiness.

Putting your child first is worth it

By emphasizing the fun of having children, research has shown that a child-centered attitude is beneficial.

Ashton-James et al. (2013) found that more child-centered parents are also happier and more meaningful in their children’s lives.
Early childhood activities have greater meaning and less negative emotions.

These results show that more people give others attention and care, and the more they feel happy and meaningful. From this perspective, the more parents invest in their children’s happiness, that is, they are “child-centered”, the more they will get happiness and sensibility from their children. Their parents” (Ashton-James et al., 2013)

Therefore, it is good for you to be good for your child.

Helicopter parenting will be frustrating

But, like many things in life, the dividing line between care and suffocation is very narrow. Especially after the child grows up.

Schiffrin et al. (2013) interviewed 297 college students to understand the behavior of their parents and their views on it.

The study found that there is a link between “reproductive helicopters” and high levels of student depression, as well as autonomy, interpersonal relationships, and low skill levels.

“Parents should consider the relevance of their own development and learn to adapt to their parenting style when they feel too close to their parents” (Schiffrin et al., 2013).

Avoid strict discipline

About 90% of American parents admit that at least one situation is strict with children’s strict adherence to verbal discipline, such as making a phone call or insulting others. However, keep in mind that this may exacerbate the problem rather than helping teens stay online.

A study of 967 American families. UU. He found that severe oral discipline at the age of 13 predicted that behavior would be worse next year (Wang et al., 2013).

If the strong connection between the parents and the children is established, this will not help. The main author of the study, Ming-Te Wang, explained:

“Once the parents and their children have established a strong bond, strict discipline will not have any consequences. The teenager will understand him because he loves me. It is wrong because the parents’ enthusiasm does not reduce the impact. Language discipline continues. In fact, strict oral discipline seems to be harmful in all situations.

Go to bed regularly

Bedtime is really important for children’s brain development.

The researchers tracked 11,000 children between the ages of 3 and 7 to assess the impact of bedtime on cognitive function (Kelly et al., 2013).

The researchers found that:

“…the irregularity of bedtime at the age of 3 is related to the reading of boys and girls, and the lower scores of mathematics and spatial awareness, suggesting that about three years have become a sensitive period of cognitive development.”

A regular bedtime is important for boys and girls, the sooner they are in place, the better their cognitive skills.

Do your homework together

If the relationship between mom and dad is not too difficult, raising a happy child will be easier. Housework is the root cause of frequent disputes between parents.

One trick to making a marriage happy with housework is to do it together.

When partners perform tasks at the same time, both parties are more satisfied with the division of labor (Galovan et al., 2013).

Limit the display of children’s TV

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two should not watch TV for more than two hours a day.

Before that age, watch TV for no more than two hours a day.
That’s the reason: Since birth, a new study by nearly 2,000 Canadian children has shown that the 2.5-year-old one-hour TV forecast is less effective than kindergarten (Pagani et al., 23). 2013).

By the age of two and a half, the more children who exceed this recommendation, the more likely their vocabulary, math, and motor skills will fall to five years.

Exercise can improve children’s academic performance

Children become more and more sedentary, as I often write on PsyBlog, exercise is a good way to increase your brainpower and has many other benefits (see “20 Wonderful Effects of Psychology”). Remember).

A new study of 11-year-old children found that moderate to strenuous exercise was associated with better academic performance in English, mathematics, and natural science (Booth et al., 2013).

Progress over the years has also been observed in the 16-year-old exam.

Interestingly, the girl’s scientific results benefit more from complementary exercise.

Strong maternal danger.

Some women say that taking care of children is more stressful than at work. There is also a link between parenting and stress and within.
How do we coordinate the reports and research results of children with joy and meaning?

This may be due to different attitudes towards parenting. In particular, being a “loving mother” may be bad for you.

In their study of 181 mothers of children under the age of 5, Rizzo et al. (2012) found that mothers are more supportive of the concept that children are sacred, and that the idea that women are better fathers than fathers is more likely to frustrate them and have less satisfaction with life.

Yes, take care of your children, but don’t sacrifice your mental health.

Why are siblings so different?

Anyone with more than one child will notice something weird: their personality is often very different.

In fact, according to a study by Plomin and Daniels (1987), the two brothers are not identical in personality to two foreigners.
This is strange because its 50% genetic code is the same.
The answer lies not in the genes but in the environment in which the child grows.

Every child is away from the same environment and they have:

• A different relationship with each parent
• Have a different relationship with other siblings,
• Different friends and experiences at school…

…and many more.

All of these differences lead to considerable differences between siblings, often making it impossible to connect together if they are not similar.
Of course, all of this means that, given their individuality, a parenting strategy that works with one child may work with another child.

Being a parent is a challenge!

Image credit: Paolo Marconi