When Christine Carter became a parent, she realized that her work as a sociologist who studies happiness gave her a head start on being a good and happy parent. Rather than trying to solve problems in her family, she wanted to prevent them. That got her wondering what makes for happy families and children. The result of that questioning is Raising Happiness (Ballantine Books). She said to start off by asking two questions about your life as a parent: 1. When are you happiest with your kids? 2. What part of the normal day with your family routinely causes suffering? Then make sure your … [Read more...]

Things are tough for a lot of families right now, so parents are looking to cut summer costs during the recession. Here are some tips for talking to your children about cutting back: Age matters: The younger children are, the more you will have to explain. Use terms they can understand and tell them why it is important to save money. Don't feel guilty: You should never feel guilty or let your children blame you for having to cut back. Back to basics: Remind your children that cutting back on expenses is not necessarily a bad thing. Trimming the budget for luxuries can be an … [Read more...]