Your kids are back in school; should you be, too? Will taking a class make you happier? Or will it just make you feel busier? Will it help you raise happy kids?

That depends. Do you love learning? If so, you might want to take a class. Here’s why:

→ Our brains grow and change throughout adulthood depending on what we do with them. Do a lot of math, and the part of your brain that processes math will get bigger. Do stuff that makes you feel calm and happy, and that brain region will enlarge. (That’s a bit of an over-simplication, as you neuroscience-types know. But it is true: change your behavior and you change your brain!)

→ People who’ve received training in stress reduction techniques (e.g., have taken a yoga class) really do experience less stress in life, and less stress equals greater happiness. In addition, research shows that parents’ stress-management affects children in a big way. Read more about stress-free parenting in my Greater Good blog this week.

→ Parenting classes work. According to researcher Robert Epstein, “Parents who have taken parenting classes produce better outcomes with their children than parents who lack such training, and…more training leads to better outcomes.” Haven’t taken a parenting class since Lamaze? Might be time to brush up.

When we want to improve our own happiness, or our kids’ well-being, a little training can go a long way. I can learn a lot by reading a book, but the insights I glean are only helpful to the extent that I’m able to integrate it into my life and practices. A good class will:

→ Provide you with insights and inspiration to make changes
→ Help you integrate insights into your everyday life through specific behaviors
→ Guide you in practicing making small changes over time

I’m pretty darn busy, but I am nearly always enrolled in a class of some sort because I like the structure of learning something new with a teacher. And as a single mom who works full-time, I’m really grateful for all of the wonderful online classes available that allow me to learn and practice on my own time.

Take Action: Sign up for a parenting, happiness, or stress-reduction class today! Get yourself to yoga, or join a meditation group.

Have a happy week!

 

 

 

*Warning! Shameless self-promotion!*

The Raising Happiness Fall Class starts in less than a week! This 10-week course encompasses two Raising Happiness Themes:

1. How and Why to Put Your Own Happiness First
2. The Science of Success (including how to praise your children)

It also includes live group coaching. You’ll receive weekly training videos (watch anytime you’d like) designed to make your life easier and happier.

What You Will Get From This Class

• Greater happiness yourself–both as a parent and an individual
• The best ways to create a new routine (or break a bad habit). (It is one thing to know what to do to be happy, it is quite another to know HOW to do it!)
• Ways to raise children’s emotional intelligence and school performance
• Why perfectionism is a particular form of unhappiness–and how to combat it
• How to foster grit and resilience in kids

The Fall Class also includes 3 FREE BONUS CLASSES:

• Baby, or Marriage Wrecking Ball? Keeping Your Marriage Happy with an Infant
• Raising Happiness with a Teenager in the House
• Grandparents Raise Happiness, too!
• Class starts October 3rd. More information is here.

I really hope that you will join us!

Rona and I discuss the reasons that we parents are often tempted to let our kids do more after-school activities than we ever dreamed possible when we were children ourselves. What activities will help our kids succeed? Which ones can be skipped?

Please check out my podcast with Rona Renner either here on the Greater Good website, or here on iTunes. Happy listening!

Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center .

Have an evening or morning routine that isn’t working for you? You aren’t alone! This week, Christine helps Lindsay “re-engineer” her family’s dinnertime and bedtime routines so that there is more happiness and connection–and less yelling. Part 1 of a 2 part series.

Special thanks to the Quality of Life Foundation, which made this series possible.

Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center .

The happiness of people in our social networks matters MUCH more than you think. Here’s why: Our friends influence what we think of as normal, and that influences our habits, feelings, and behavior, which, in turn, make us happy. Or not.

It is somewhat unbelievable, I know, but research shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that my next-door neighbor’s best-friend’s co-worker–whom I’ve never met–often influences how happy I am. Read more about this amazing social network effect on my Greater Good blog.

What if you read that post and start thinking: “OMG, my friends are those complainers Christine describes”? For crying out loud, don’t drop your friends. The answer is NOT to get out of your social network, but rather to INFLUENCE the happiness of your network.

Take action: Do something this week for a friend–or even a distant acquaintance–that will make them happier. Research shows that we get great joy and satisfaction out of helping other people, more even than if someone were doing something to make ourself happier.

Remember, even a very small act of kindness can brighten someone’s day; share what you decide to do in the comments below.

I’m having a great time in New York this week; Monday I was on the Today Show! I hope that you also have a happy week.

xo,

 

 

 

PS: If you want specific ways to raise the happiness of your friends or your community, this is what the Raising Happiness class is about. (And when you start a discussion group, there are lots of benefits: you can take the class for free or at a discount, you’ll earn money for your kids’ school, you can get free books, and more.  Email Monica for more information.)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If you’re on this website for the first time, welcome! We are so glad you are here. We offer tools for raising happiness: in you, your family, and your community. Check out our free resources page!

Warmly,

 

The happiness of people in our social networks matters MUCH more than you think. Here’s why: Our friends influence what we think of as normal, and that, in turn, influences our habits, feelings, and behavior.

It is somewhat unbelievable, but research shows that my next-door neighbor’s best-friend’s co-worker—whom I’ve never met—influences my eating and exercise habits, and therefore how much I weigh. She also profoundly influences how happy I am. Read more about this social network effect on my Greater Good blog.

If you read that post and start thinking: “OMG, my friends are those complainers Christine describes!” for crying out loud, don’t drop your friends. The answer is NOT to get out of your social network, but rather to INFLUENCE the happiness of your network. So do something this week for a friend–or even a distant acquaintance–that will make them happier.

The bonus: research shows that we get great joy and satisfaction out of helping other people–more even than if someone were doing something to make us happier.

If you are looking for a way to raise the happiness of your whole group of friends, or your community, this is what the whole Raising Happiness class is about. I hope you’ll consider starting a Raising Happiness group with your friends.

(When you start a discussion group, there are lots of benefits for yourself and for your social network: you can take the class for free or at a discount, you’ll earn money for your kids’ school, you can get free books, and more. Email Monica for more information.)

Although we live in a social world that is increasingly sparse–families tend to feel more isolated than they have in previous generations–real-life social connections are still probably the most important factor for our happiness, and the happiness of our children.

Please check out my podcast with Rona Renner either here on the Greater Good website, or here on iTunes. Happy listening!

Cross posted from the Greater Good Science Center .

Win 2 FREE tickets to this great San Francisco Speak-to-Me event by answering this question in the comment section below: What do you love most about your body? If you just can’t answer that question, enter to win by posting your most pressing body question. What do you need to know?