King Arthur Movie Tristan

title: I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy! : Why You Shouldn't Say It, Why You Shouldn't Think It, What You Should Embrace Instead


author: Aaron Cooper, Eric Keitel



genre: self help

pages: 160

first line: 'Why are so many of our children unhappy?'

published: 2008

While millions have pledged allegiance to the happiness of their offspring, kids are less happy than ever-more worried, anxious, and depressed. In this ground-breaking and highly readable book, a psychologist and an educator explain the troubling connection between I just want them to be happy and the problems affecting our youth. The authors describe the ingredients-the eight seeds-that research has revealed to be the basis of authentically happy lives. Ingredients like gratitude, optimism, a life of meaning, and acts of loving kindness. Through numerous "Plant a Seed" suggestions, I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy will show you how to sow the right ingredients into your children's lives today, so that authentic happiness will bloom for them tomorrow.

'I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy' is an interesting and helpful book for any parent. The book's main purpose is to tell you how 'wanting your kids to be happy', isnt always the best thing. Instead of giving into thier every need, and spoiling them, you should show them how to appreciate what they have and that happiness doesn't come from material things.



The authors use an example of how parents tend to take kids on shopping sprees to the mall, when the kids are bored or if the kids seem 'unhappy'. Buying them things to cheer them up. So children equate material things with happiness. Or how some parents spoil thier kids so much, that once these children are adults, and are out in the real world, they are in for real a shock. They have to face reality, where people won't spoil them or give into thier every whim. They then feel unfulfilled and lost.



Meanwhile, many of today's children are unhappy, even depressed. Spoiling them and buying them whatever they want, does not bring anyone true happiness.




As a parent of two, this book was an insightful read. It gives reasons not to spoil your children and the results of what can happen if you do.
This book shows how to 'plant the seeds of true happiness' and several ways to help you raise your children to be loving, fulfilled and truly happy people.

'Happy, flourishing people have created a sense of meaning in thier lives, a purpose in living that anchors them to something beyond thier own fleeting pleasure and gratifications.'


'We must teach our children that meaning is found outside ourselves, not in an attachment to our own needs and wants and feelings.

True meaning comes from activites whose payoffs linger in our hearts and minds.'

As with self-help books, I don't give them a rating. It is up to the individual reader how they use this information in thier own lives. Personally, I found this to be a helpful book, and would recommend it to any parent.





about the authors:

Aaron Cooper, Ph.D. is a Harvard-educated psychologist and teacher with more than thirty years of experience working with children and families.



Eric Keitel, M.Ed. is Director of Family Education at an independent school on Chicago's north side.





This book was sent to me for review by j.kaye. Visit her blog for info on how you can become a guest blogger.