#183: Wealth is not the answer to happy kids?

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my 183rd newsletter.

Why Colombian Children are Among the Happiest 🇨🇴

Colombian children are placed among the top countries, with 77% reporting very high well-being, alongside Turkey and Romania.

This high life satisfaction is deeply rooted in cultural practices that prioritize people and the present moment over speed and wealth.

• La Familia (The Family) and Intergenerational Wisdom: The family is the central, non-negotiable universe in Colombia, providing a profound sense of security and belonging. This cohesion extends across generations, valuing intergenerational wisdom.

• Older family members and community figures act as "sabedores" (wise ones) and "walking libraries," passing down cultural knowledge, values, and resilience strategies through storytelling and shared experiences.

• Unhurried Routines and Play: Daily life incorporates unhurried food routines. Lunch, in particular, is often the largest meal of the day and a serious affair, with many families taking up to a two-hour break to eat together at home.

  This deliberate pause anchors the day and reinforces family bonds. Furthermore, cooperative play is actively used to teach empathy, social skills, and teamwork from a young age.

• Gratitude and Resilience: Research confirms that Colombian children's perceptions of gratitude are heavily focused on personal relationships—identifying family, friends, and teachers as the most important benefactors.

• This is paired with the concept of resilience born from struggle, which allows them to choose a "smile as a way of survival" and embody the best spirit of Mañana—not as procrastination, but as a cultural choice to slow down, be flexible, and fully appreciate the life in the moment.

5 Universal Ways to Nurture a Happy Child

The secret to raising a happy child lies in emotional security and strong relationships—qualities that transcend geography and income.

Here are five evidence-based practices families everywhere can adopt:

1. Prioritize Uninterrupted Connection: Dedicate tech-free quality time daily, such as eating dinner together or engaging in a conversation where you listen actively to your child's thoughts without judgment. Strong attachment is the foundation of well-being.

2. Teach Emotional Literacy and Validation: Help your child identify their feelings ("Are you angry, or are you frustrated?"). Validate their emotions by saying, "It's okay to feel sad/angry," rather than immediately trying to fix the problem. This builds emotional intelligence and coping skills.

3. Cultivate a Gratitude Ritual: Make gratitude a daily family practice. This can be as simple as asking everyone to name one thing they are thankful for during dinner, or creating a "Gratitude Jar" where positive notes are stored and read later.

4. Emphasize Effort Over Outcome: When praising your child, focus on their effort, persistence, and creativity ("You worked so hard on that problem!") rather than just the final achievement ("You got an A!"). This fosters a growth mindset and builds resilience.

5. Model and Encourage Movement: Prioritize physical health by ensuring they get adequate sleep and encourage outdoor play and exercise. Physical activity is a natural mood booster and an essential component of mental health.

Sources:

International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (ISCWeB), which surveyed children aged 8–12 across 15 countries.

Report in The Conversation titled "In which countries are children happier and why?" (referencing the ISCWeB study).

Studies on Gratitude and Family Bonds (e.g., in Revista Colombiana de Psicología) which analyze the role of personal relationships in children's gratitude schemas.

Post is inpsired from https://www.instagram.com/modernparentsguide/,
Thanks to Andreas Wil Gerdes for sharing this.

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