Want to raise happy and successful children? Science says, do these 3 things!

Ask any parent what they want for their kids and they’ll say … happiness.

They might also include health and success.

But however you define the outcome, happiness and success require a few basics to form a solid foundation…

via Inc.com by Christina DesMarais

Want to know one of the biggest predictors of success in life? A happy childhood. Of course, for parents making it happen means doing all the common-sense things, such as proving adequate food, shelter and as much love and emotional support as possible. But recent studies have found there are a few other simple ways parents can be helping their kids have an edge in life.

Give kids undivided attention for 5-15 minutes at a pop

Zoe Williams, in a witty piece for The Guardian, quotes productivity and organization guru Julie Morgenstern who cites eight years of research showing that short bursts of parental attention are best for making kids feel loved and secure. “When they wake up, when they come home from school, when they are going to bed, when they get back from work (turns out this is true of adults as well as children): stop what you are doing and concentrate on them, then leave them alone to do what they want,” Williams writes. “Finally, I could unleash my ceaseless questions — “How was your day?” “Who was annoying?” “Did anything happen that would amuse me?” “What did you have for lunch?” — and nobody minded because they knew it was time-limited and, at some point, there would be no followup.”

…keep reading the full & original article HERE