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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
The Happy Kid Handbook summary
Katie Hurley
How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World
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Key idea 1 of 7
4.2 (88 ratings)
15 mins
7 key ideas
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What is The Happy Kid Handbook about?
The Happy Kid Handbook (2015) explains the key components of a happy childhood that allows children to thrive as unique individuals. Whether your child is introverted or extroverted, these blinks will guide you through helping them understand stress, negative emotions, social relationships and the importance of finding calm in their lives.
About the Author
Katie Hurley is the blogger behind Practical Parenting and the author of articles at PBS Parents and The Huffington Post. She lives in Los Angeles, where she splits her time between being a child and adolescent psychologist and counselor, a parenting expert and a mother to two children.
Table of Contents
Key idea 1 of 7
Cookie-cutter approaches won’t help you raise your unique child.
Say you’ve got two adorable kids – one girl and one boy. You love them both to bits and take great care to share your love fairly. You’re diligent about dividing your attention equally between them and never cuddle one child without cuddling the other. So why is it that your son is so distant when you talk to him, and why does he squirm out of your hugs so often?
It could be because you aren’t meeting his needs in the right way. The reality is that different kids have different needs. It’s your responsibility as a parent to raise your children in accordance with their personalities.
It’s possible, for instance, that your son doesn’t need lots of interaction and physical affection to be happy. Your daughter, on the other hand, craves stimulation and wants to engage with you all day long. By spending lots of time chatting to your daughter and less with your son, you aren’t being unfair. Quite the opposite – you’re ensuring each of your unique kids is equally happy.
In keeping with this, you’ll need to respect your child’s wishes and needs, even if it means they don’t match yours.
A very sociable parent who puts lots of time and effort into throwing a huge birthday party for their kid might be disappointed to see their child hiding in their bedroom, overwhelmed by all the noisy kids crowding the living room. But even if your child’s needs surprise you, you must respect them. After all, it’s not your child’s job to fulfill your expectations. So do your best to embrace every aspect of their character.
In short, there’s no place for a one-size-fits-all approach in child-raising. Children are unique, and it’s vital that you respect their needs. And how do you do this? By learning about them!
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Who should read The Happy Kid Handbook
- Parents-to-be who are anxious about raising their child right
- Mothers and fathers struggling to understand their kid’s confusing behavior
- Readers interested in the importance of parenting today
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