How to grow a happy family

How to have a happy family
Average rating: 3 out of 5 star rating
Whether it's your first, second or fifth baby, here's how to help your family bond as well as possible.

First-time parents

If this is a first child for both of you, it's likely that before you became parents you enjoyed a relationship that was mainly focused on yourselves and each other as individuals. Having kids inevitably changes that, and how you prepare for and perceive this new life is crucial to how well you adjust.

'With almost every situation, mind-set is one of the most important aspects,' says Bill Lucas, author of Happy Families: How to Make One; How to Keep One (BBC Active, £10.99). One of the keys to keeping a positive mind-set when you become parents is knowing your partner very well and being determined to keep the grown-up side of the relationship going.

'Ideally, as a partnership, you'll have made a conscious decision to have children, and the degree of preparation you've done for your new life is critical,' says Bill. He believes that, as new parents, you can help boost happiness if you:
  • Accept that life won't simply go on as it did before parenthood.
  • Keep your expectations low at first so that anything you manage to achieve outside of caring for your baby is a positive thing.
  • Be mutually supportive and respectful of each other. This will help to keep your relationship strong which, in turn, will provide a happy basis for your new family.
  • If the woman is the main carer, it's important that her partner is sensitive and empathetic enough to provide space for her to have time to be an individual, as well as a mum.


By Hilary Pereira

Your rating

Average rating:

3 out of 5 star rating

Your comments

If you want to comment on this article, leave a tip or a story, please fill in the box below.

Be the first to leave a comment!

Add a comment

Please enter the characters in the image:

IPC Media Limited, owner of goodtoknow.co.uk, will collect your personal information solely to process your request


Search

Latest family videos

Video index

Free family newsletter

Sign up for new family ideas & discounts every week

Today's poll

How hands-on is your partner or husband when it comes to looking after the kids?


  • Very, he helps me out all the time 45%
  • Not very. I do most of the cleaning up after them, cooking and homework nagging! 24%
  • He helps out a bit when I've asked him to, and then it's playing football or computer games with them 16%
  • I do everything single-handedly 15%

Thanks, your vote has been counted!