This Is Why Your Kids Are Gonna Turn Out Okay
As new parents, there’s always a slight worry that you might be messing up your kids — even though you have future parenting plans to do all sorts of fun, creative things together like help them learn how to code and cook together in the kitchen. Sure, you want your children to be healthy, happy and well adjusted, but when you’re running on minimal sleep and your kiddo is testing your patience, you might have moments where you think you’re the WORST parent on the planet. Trust us, we all feel that way at some time. But a new study out of Japan suggests that the kids are gonna be alright if you’re a supportive parent.
This study defined supportive parenting as moms and dads who trusted their child, let them be independent, spent quality time with their kiddo and showed a great deal of interest in their kid’s life. The researchers surveyed 5,000 Japanese men and women about their upbringing, and asked them to agree/disagree with statements like, “My parents trusted me” or “I felt like my family had no interest in me.” They saw that time spent together and being scolded were defining childhood memories.
What was clear was that supportive parents raised well-adjusted adults who reported feeling happy with their lives and doing well in school. Being a caring parent right now — whether you’re kissing a boo boo or figuring out what after-school activities excite them the most — has great implications for your child’s self-esteem as a professional in the working world, as the study found that well-supported children earned high salaries as adults.
Other parenting styles — like being super strict — didn’t fare as well. Men and women who are raised by parents who had a ton of rules and gave their child very little independence said that they did great academically and in their working lives, but unfortunately, they felt a lot more stress and dissatisfaction with their personal lives.
If you’re a busy working mama who struggles with work/life balance and wonder how you can spend quality time with the little one while being a rockstar #girlboss, you’re not alone. Forty percent of moms in the US are the primary income earner in their families. A nine-to-five gig might make it hard to squeeze in that one-on-one time with your kid, so think about ways you can spend the weekends crafting together or getting out for some outdoor fun. Just remember: You got this!
What do you think of this study’s findings? Tweet us your thoughts @BritandCo!
(Photo via Getty)