Good Life at home and at play

All you need is love (and friends)

We’ve been working with think tank, Tænketanken Mandag Morgen to ask Danish children one big question: what makes a good life?

In the first in our three-part series, we delved into what makes life good at home and with friends.

The number one thing Danish children want? A loving family

Good lives come in all shapes and sizes, but for the Danish children we spoke to, most have a few things in common. 75% of children we talked to from ages six to sixteen agreed that knowing their family loves them was the most important ingredient to a good home life.

As children grew up, they wanted parents in particular to show love in different ways. Younger children thought parents were there to look after them – whether that was cleaning a grazed knee or playing games to stop them getting bored. For older children, it was being listened to that mattered most.

Based on the research, here are three things we think parents can do to build an even better home life for their children:

1. Find ways to give children a say

The youngest children we spoke to all wanted more say on everyday things – like what they ate or what they did with their pocket money. That doesn’t mean you should hand over packets of sweets or let your child stay up all night. But are there small decisions – like whether to wear one jumper or another to the shops, that your child can make?

Older children like making decisions too – especially around where they go and what they do in their spare time.

2. Be interested, but not too interested

When children – especially older ones – tell you things, they expect you to listen. But if they haven’t chosen to share, they probably won’t want an interrogation. If you’re asking older children lots of questions when they walk through the door after school, don’t be surprised if you don’t get the best response.

3. Have fun!

Children who had fun with their families were happier with their lives in general. They told us they felt less lonely, and they were more optimistic when they thought about the future. They also got on better with their families than the children who said they didn’t have as much fun.

And it wasn’t just the littlest children who felt that way. Teenagers might like spending more time with their friends, but they can enjoy a bit of silliness now and again, too.

So, arrange that camping trip, make time for a monthly board game night or get the karaoke machine out at the next family birthday party. Your children (yes, even the teenagers) might want more fun than you think.