Most people would admit to preferring the company of happy people over grumps. But did you know that happiness is contagious and can spread to an entire group of people from just one happy person? 
National Happiness Happens Day encourages us to recognize happy moments and think about happiness in our daily lives. This “happy-holiday” encourage us to remember the joy we create for ourselves and others.
To share some healthy happiness, residents at the Youth Crisis Center’s (YCC) Touchstone Village, a transitional living program that provides services to young adults still developing self-sufficiency skills, were treated to a “family night” at Bowl America. “We know that many of our residents struggle with healthy and happy relationships,” said Cecelia Stalnaker-Cauwenberghs, LMHC and Director of Program Services at YCC. “So, we want to create opportunities that encourage an environment where they can develop a sense of family, to feel what it’s like to trust, support and bond with each other.
Researchers say a happy family environment, no matter the size, genetic relation or how the members came to be a family, creates a healthy life for everyone involved.
4 Reasons Why Family Time Is Happy Time
Families Who Play Together Stay Together
Family time is an important bonding experience, which deepens relationships. Play is a way to work out family issues, relieve stress and create opportunities for teamwork, which is helpful in coping with stressors like finance, health issues and busy schedules.
Making Merry Memories
It’s important to create environments where happy memories can occur. Families come in all shapes and sizes, so providing a variety of healthy experiences will help give blended families a common goal and mutually-fond memories, especially if the family unit has challenges to overcome when together.
It’s Okay to Be Sorry
When family members or a family unit gather, it’s possible that someone will say something hurtful or annoying. It’s important to spend enough time together to make those mistakes and learn how to apologize and forgive each other. If time isn’t invested to first establish trust, it’s hard to turn to those underdeveloped skills later.
Bonding for Better Behavior
Parents should not only teach rules and good behavior to children at home, but also take children into the outside world to practice socializing and interacting with others. Activities that provide time to talk, laugh and compete all help the bonding experience. Correcting behavior like being a bad sport, or not following rules or etiquette, affords low-pressure teaching opportunities for parents, siblings or friends to model.
Make sure to put the fun in your family time; even deciding what to do can turn into a fun activity. If you need an idea, the residents at Touchstone Village say they are heading to Skate Station next month!
If you know of a young adult between the ages of 18 – 21 who is struggling to become self-reliant and independent, YCC can provide transitional living services through our Touchstone Village program. Click to learn more about Touchstone Village and the 5 Skills Young Adults Need to Successfully Live Independently.
