What Contributes To A Happy Family?

Many families may struggle with happiness, satisfaction, and healthy lifestyles. A variety of factors can contribute to the happiness (or lack thereof) of a family. Financial stability, mental health, nutrition, community support, and more can each impact the quality of life for families and how they are treated and viewed by the world. 

The creation of a happy family can require hard work, wisdom, and sometimes sacrifice. Good judgment can also be an important factor. However, the first step to having a happy family may be knowing what contributes to a happy family.

Mental Health And Wellness

As explained by Mental Health, mental health and wellness can impact the ability to engage in productive work, deal with stress and difficulties, and make wise choices. Interactions with others and personal behavior are other things which can be impacted by the quality of an individual's mental health and wellness.

A family who enjoys mental health and wellness may be able to engage in positive lifestyle choices. Eating and sleeping, engaging in productive activities, instilling honorable values in children, etc. can best be done when a family is in a mentally well state.

Emotional health can also have close ties to mental health and a family’s goal of achieving happiness. A person's emotional well-being can affect how they deal with others around them. It can determine how they treat their significant other and children. Emotional health can also determine the habits that children observe and imitate. Children who witness their parents handle anger in a productive and non-violent manner are likely to follow suit as they learn, grow, and eventually venture into the world. Likewise, children who see their parents yell, throw objects, or engage in violence during fits of anger are more likely to view this as acceptable behavior to emulate.

The quality of food that you eat can heavily affect your mental health. Exercise can also have a huge impact on your brain’s health. In fact, many psychologists argue that a child who grows up without financial wealth, but in a neurologically rich environment with emotionally stable parents, high-quality food, exercise, fresh air, and a strong sense of community, may be at an advantage to children who grew up with wealth, but without those major contributors to brain health. 

Financial Stability

While financial stability isn’t the only thing to consider, it can be a useful tool in your goal of building a happy and well-adjusted family. Conversely, financial instability can be a stressor to individuals and families.

According to Imom, a lack of financial stability can be tied to stress, obesity, depression, stroke, and heart disease. An American Psychological Association survey confirms that 65% of individuals regard money as a cause of stress in their lives. When seeking to create a happy family, financial stability can be important. The ability to keep a roof over the family's head, pay bills, put food on the table, and partake in other activities (such as dining out, going to the movies, etc.) can require money and financial safety.

Believe it or not, financial stability can also contribute to the quality of marriages. Although there are many factors which contribute to a happy marriage, financial issues can be notorious for placing a strain on (and in some cases, ending) marriages. The end of a marriage can be very upsetting, especially if children are involved. Moreover, anyone who chooses to have children is responsible for ensuring that they grow up in a safe and appropriate environment. Financial stability and the ability to cover living expenses can be paramount in this task.

Eating Dinner Together

According to TIME, families who eat dinner with one another may be setting themselves up for countless benefits, especially if children are part of the family.

Studies have shown that young people who eat dinner with their family are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Moreover, families who eat together are likelier to have well-mannered, healthy, intellectually advanced, and confident children. Dining together also impacts academic performance and conduct. Sometimes, the little things can turn out to make a big difference.

Morality And Values

Morality and values can be critical, determining factors in the happiness of a family. Morality and values can determine whether or not significant others are honest and faithful to one another. They can determine how the family conducts themselves in work and life. When children are involved, the value and behavior they witness can determine the morality that is internalized.

One of the most important values for parents to teach to their children may be integrity. Young people should know that honesty matters. Similarly to integrity, compassion, respect, gratitude, and personal responsibility are morals one may choose to teach their children. 

Teaching these values to children during their formative years can come in handy as they grow into teenagers. Young people who have been instilled with values are more likely to be able to resist adverse influences and make decisions that can attract both short-term and long-term benefits.

Positive Influences

The quality of influences which young people have exposure to may have more of an impact than many individuals realize. Positive, external influences can contribute to the healthy growth and success of children while negative; external influences may engender the opposite outcome.

However, even the most well-intentioned parents should proceed with caution regarding controlling certain influences in the lives of their children. Even though most parents have nothing but the best interests at heart, sometimes banning certain things or individuals from children's lives can have the opposite impact. Sometimes, the lure of the forbidden can become a factor, especially for teenagers. With that said, there are certain situations where laying down the law and being stern can be appropriate. Ultimately, parents are tasked with the job of making the call depending on the nature of the situation and the quality of the influence.

Looking Into Counseling or Therapy

At one point or another, each family will face their unique challenges and struggles. Despite the inevitability of this reality, it does not have to lead to the downfall of a family. The process of overcoming challenges has been known to unite families and strengthen their bond. The complications and uncertainty associated with this process can often be fixed by seeking professional help, particularly counseling or therapy.

Sadly, seeking and accepting professional help may be something which many individuals can still struggle with. Some people have been conditioned to believe that they should handle everything by themselves. However, no matter how strong or self-assured someone may be, everyone may need assistance sometimes. There is no shame in asking for help and benefiting from all that counseling and therapy can offer.

Here at BetterHelp, we pride ourselves on providing guidance and assistance to those who seek it out. Life can be difficult sometimes, especially when attempting to maintain a healthy and happy family. Thankfully, the counselors and therapists who work with us are passionate about helping people experience true happiness.

Takeaway

A family’s happiness is multi-faceted, and overall, it’s important to maintain balance. That means taking care of yourself and your mental health and encouraging those around you to do the same. It can also mean enabling your children to grow up with brain health from nutrients and exercise. Often, just giving your children time, attention, and patience will be enough to ensure that they remember their childhood fondly.

And if you want to seek out further help and information, online counseling is a great option. If you are wary of taking time out of your busy family schedule to go to therapy, consider that through online therapy options, you can check in with a counselor from the comfort of your home without worrying about time of work or finding childcare. 

Studies show that online therapy is just as effective, and, in some cases, more effective than its face-to-face traditional counterpart. Other studies have also revealed that online therapy is more cost-effective, adding to the list of benefits. 

To bring about familial happiness, remember to take time for your happiness as well.