• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

What Makes for a Happy Childhood?

May 24, 2011 by Ambitiousmamas Leave a Comment

The word "childhood" often conjures up an image of children running in a field, chasing each other and having not a care in the world. It is an image which harks back to the Little House on The Prairie type era. In our modern age childhood consists of some quite different images. Children are often found leaning over a computer, eyes firmly focused on a TV program or with both hands stuck to the playstation. 

The education system has evolved to a point where children are also more educated than we were at their age. They are aware of climate change issues in the way we never were because the science of environmental damage didn’t exist when some of us were children. Never before has a young generation been exposed to so many developments and changes.

However, along with all these developments have come pressures on our children. There is more violence in our neighborhoods, commercial pressures from advertising which make children feel inferior if they don’t have the best and latest gadget, family break ups is at the highest rate ever and the pressure to do well at school increases. In many ways children have never had it this hard. What then can we do to ensure that their childhood is a happy and memorable one producing life skills that will sustain them well into adulthood? In other words, what makes for a happy and well-adjusted childhood?

No one would dispute that children need a loving and supportive network. This is where they learn love from to be able to give love back to others. A feeling of self-affirmation is important for building self-esteem. Children need boundaries which are firm but which have been set within a reasonable and loving context. I don’t believe in aggressive parenting but I do believe that it is important to say ‘no’ when unacceptable behaviour is displayed. The setting of boundaries gives a child a feeling of security because he/she learns in this way what is socially pleasing behavior. Emotional resilience is extremely important because it enables a child to cope with disappointments. The importance of teaching values cannot be overestimated because it helps a child give meaning to life and their surroundings.

Every child is valuable and, as mothers, there is much that we can do to make their childhood and their world a better and fun place for them to live in and to want to grow up in.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About Ambitiousmamas

Jane is a Motherhood Activist who believes that ambition is a powerful channel for equipping your child with the skills to lead a successful and happy life. Jane studied law, works in the British Civil Service, is politically active and sits on a national policy committee looking at wellbeing politics. She has spoken at international conferences on 'Ambition in Mothering' and is a member of MIRCI in Canada. Jane has her own blog at http://ambitiousmamas.blogspot.com. She has an 11 year old daughter who is a highly ranked child political blogger in the UK. htp://libdemchild.blogspot.com AmbitiousMamas

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

20 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

After seeing and holding the newest member of our family … [Read More...] about 20 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Pregnancy and Sinus Pain

Pregnancy and Sinus Pain

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

When to Take a Toddler to the Emergency Room With a Fever

I Bought Smoked Pork Chops & Don't Know How to Cook Them

I Bought Smoked Pork Chops & Don’t Know How to Cook Them

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

How to Ask a Guy You Are Seeing Where You Stand

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.