29 May Happiness and parenting
8 ways to be a happier mom
Story Highlights
Study: Moms rate child care only slightly higher than housework on enjoyment scale
To be a happy mom, value what you do, find ways to add fun
Acknowledge anger, frustration, irritation; they’re normal emotions
Take the long view; remind yourself that unpleasant times are temporary
By Robert Barnett
Ask a mom if she’s happier now that she has a child, and she’ll usually say yes. But psychologists who study happiness often report a different picture. Being the mom of a young child (especially one under 3) is rewarding, but also a real strain on your mood.
Kids bring joy, says happiness expert Daniel Gilbert, but they don’t increase your average daily enjoyment.
“Moment to moment, you may be exhausted, frustrated, sometimes angry,” says Peter Ubel, M.D., a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan. In fact, on their list of pleasurable activities, moms rank child care lower than eating, exercising, or watching TV, according to a University of Michigan study. And kid care rates only slightly higher than housework, working, or commuting!
“Kids do bring joy,” says Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Harvard University and author of ‘stumbling on Happiness.” “They bring transcendent moments that outweigh all the hard work. It’s just that children do not increase your average daily enjoyment.”
The happiness paradox…to read more – click here