How can positive psychology help clients develop stronger relationships with their children?

1 The benefits of positive parenting

Positive parenting is a style of parenting that aims to foster a warm, supportive, and respectful relationship between parents and children. It involves using positive reinforcement, empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills, rather than harsh discipline, criticism, or punishment. Positive parenting can help you and your children experience more positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude, love, and curiosity. It can also enhance your children's self-esteem, resilience, social skills, and academic performance.

2 The PERMA model of well-being

The PERMA model, developed by Martin Seligman, is one of the most influential frameworks in positive psychology. PERMA stands for Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment - the five elements that contribute to human well-being and happiness. You can use this model as a guide to assess and improve your own and your children's well-being. For instance, you can cultivate positive emotions by expressing appreciation and practicing optimism; enhance engagement by finding activities that match your interests and strengths; strengthen relationships by listening actively and showing affection; foster meaning by connecting to a larger purpose or cause; and achieve accomplishment by setting realistic goals and celebrating progress.

3 The VIA character strengths

The VIA character strengths is a tool in positive psychology that consists of 24 positive traits grouped into six categories: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence. By taking a free online survey, you can discover your own and your children's top strengths, or signature strengths. These are the strengths that are most authentic, energizing, and fulfilling for you and your children. You can use your signature strengths to enhance self-awareness and self-confidence; boost motivation and performance; improve relationships by recognizing and valuing the strengths of others; and increase happiness and well-being. All of this can be done by finding ways to use your strengths in different domains of life such as work, school, family, and leisure.

4 The growth mindset

A growth mindset is a belief that your abilities and talents can be developed through effort, learning, and feedback. This is in contrast to a fixed mindset which holds that your abilities and talents are unchangeable. Embracing challenges, seeking feedback, persisting in the face of obstacles, and celebrating the success of others are all benefits of a growth mindset. To cultivate a growth mindset in yourself and your children, praise the process rather than the outcome, encourage curiosity and exploration, and model a growth mindset yourself. For example, instead of saying "You are so smart" or "You did a great job", say "You worked hard" or "You used a good strategy". Instead of saying "I can't do this" or "I'm not good at this", say "I can learn this" or "I can improve at this". With a growth mindset, you will be better equipped to tackle challenges and reach your goals.

5 The gratitude practice

Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves appreciating and acknowledging the good things in your life, whether they are big or small, internal or external, past or present. Practicing gratitude can have numerous advantages for both you and your children, such as enhancing positive emotions and reducing negative emotions, improving physical health and well-being, strengthening social bonds and relationships, and increasing satisfaction and happiness with life. You can practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, expressing gratitude to others, and sharing gratitude with your family. Positive psychology can also help you develop stronger relationships with your children by providing evidence-based interventions and tools that can enhance your well-being, happiness, and flourishing. By applying positive psychology principles and practices, you can foster a positive parenting style that can benefit you and your children in multiple ways, while also helping them develop positive habits and skills that can serve them well throughout their lives.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?