I have often pondered if it is possible to really keep a family with more than one child (or even more than one person for that matter) happy all around? Is it really possible for three children, for example, to all have great days and be happy at the same time? Does it go against the law of nature? Are we only allotted so much in terms of the happiness capacity for a household for any one 24-hour period and if one person uses it all up, the rest have to go without? Is there anything I can do as the mom to help everyone just “get happy”?
The other day, one of my children said something like: “I don’t know what YOU’RE problem is, I had a great day!” to one of the others. While it was obviously a bit self-centered in the typical teenage style, it also made me think about how as a family, it would be great if we could just spread our own joy and happiness around. Why is it that when we have a fabulous day, we can be assured that someone in the household will have had just the opposite? Is it about cosmic balance or just dumb luck?
When my children were little, I just gave into the fact that while I might come close, I was never going to be able to choose an activity or orchestrate an event that would make and keep everyone happy. Someone was always going to be tired, crabby, or end up in a funk. Sometimes for the sheer fact that everyone else WAS happy, but that is another psychological exploration. The truth is, we can only do our best and try to make happiness a factor and a focus in family life, but the more bodies and personalities you’ve got in your house, the more the chances that they are all going to be in different “spaces” at any one time.
Also: Does Money Equal Happiness?
Lift Your Spirits with a “Happy Box”