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Creating
a Happy Home
by Diane
Loomans
with Julia Loomans
continued
from Part 1
9. Keep
Good and Nutritious Food in the House: "My house
feels good when there's lots of really good food to
eat." (Merrill, age seven)
10. Play
Together: "There's cool toys that moms and dads
like to play with, too!" (Alexi, age ten)
11.
Enjoy a Pet: "A happy house has creatures in it --
a bird, gerbil, hamster, turtle, guinea pig, rat, fish,
lizard, snake, dog, cat, or monkey. I've had all of them
in my house, and, boy, does it smell! But in my house,
it's okay." (Jerod, age ten)
12.
Dance and Play Music Together: "In my house, when
it's happy, there is music playing and we all dance
together. My dad teaches us the cha-cha-cha!" (Amber,
age eleven)
13.
Appreciate One Another: "My mom sits and looks at
me and smiles sometimes when my house is happy." (Kalenda,
age four)
14.
Listen to One Another: "Everybody listens to each
other instead of yelling or screaming." (Samuel,
age fourteen)
15.
Remember the Extras: "A nice house has wind chimes
hanging, and you can hear birds singing outside the
window." (Tara, age five)
16.
Pamper One Another: "Happy houses have big bubble
baths for kids that they can stay in until all the
bubbles are gone." (Lauren, age seven)
17.
Communicate Openly: "When people like each other in
their house, they sit around for a while after dinner
and talk about all kinds of stuff." (Amy,
age thirteen)
18. Show
Interest in One Another: "In a house that is happy,
people ask you how your day was, and they really mean
it!" (Lisa, age fifteen)
19.
Share and Read Stories Together: "Happy people read
books together and tell stories by the fire about neat
things." (Morley, age twelve)
20.
Wrestle Together: "Families that get along like to
wrestle and giggle together!" (Bo, age
eleven)
21. Keep
Plants or Flowers in the House: "I like it when we
have flowers on the table and the whole house smells
good." (Jonah, age six)
22. Have
Family and Friends Visit Often: "Our house is fun
when everybody has friends over and there's lots of
laughing going on!" (Abe, age sixteen)
23.
Acknowledge One Another: "Everyone compliments each
other and does special things for each other."
(Shanti, age fourteen)
24.
Create a Friendly and Safe Environment: "When I'm
gone, I can't wait to get home because I just like being
there!" (Carlos, age twelve)
Consider
"interviewing" your child on what he or she
thinks makes a home happy. Ask for at least ten ideas,
and then surprise your child with them, one by one. I
asked Julia when she was ten years old to write down
some ideas about what made her home feel good.
Ironically, one of her answers was, "When my mom is
doing some of the neat stuff that she tells other
parents to do with their kids. That's when my home is
happy!" Out of the mouths of babes come words of
wisdom!
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