When people are asked what is their ultimate goal in life, they often reply: “to be happy”. So it’s a no-brainer why parents often say that their main goal is to raise a happy child. But what exactly does it mean to be happy? Is it an emotion, a positive subjective state, or a state of being? The answer is not as easy as it seems. Many parents and scientists alike have tried to get the answer right. One scientist who has spent years studying the notion of happiness is Daniel Gilbert , from Harvard University, and he proposes three definitions to happiness: emotional, moral, and judgmental.

In an interview for the Atlantic, Vaillant said that, after all the years of research, what constitutes to a ‘good life’ is: “the relationships with other people”. Friendships, he concluded, are a big predictor to living a good life; bigger than other variables such as money. The more intimate the relationship, the better. In his book, Medina states that, in addition to satisfying relationships, other behaviors that predict happiness include: doing altruistic acts, making gratitude lists, cultivate attitude of gratitude, sharing new experiences with loved ones, and being able to forgive.

According to Medina, it turns out that money doesn’t play a big role in happiness. “People who make more than $5 million a year are not noticeably happier than those who make $100,000 a year, The Journal of Happiness Studies found. Money increases happiness only when it lifts people out of poverty to about the mid-five figures. Past $50,000 per year in income, wealth and happiness part ways”. These findings will hopefully alleviate parents’ concerns about forcing their children into certain careers paths, in hopes for them to live the “good life” in the future. Parents can just try to guide them to choose a career they love, but where they can at least make mid-five figures. They don’t have to be millionaires to be thrilled and happy about life. After their basic needs are met, they just need a good safety blanket -that is, being surrounded with good friends and family!

One thing is for certain though, if you want your child to be happy, you should try to promote your baby’s social skills in order to learn to socialize effectively. This means, teaching him how to make friends by being a good friend, and then teaching him how to keep them. As you might suspect, many ingredients go into creating socially smart children -too many to count! However, there are two factors that have the strongest backing in scientific literature and are the most predictive for social competency: emotional regulation and empathy. To promote this in your child, teach him to be thoughtful, kind, sensitive, cooperative, and forgiving. That way, he will be more likely to have lasting friendships and, therefore, a better shot at happiness.

If you want to work on your baby’s social skills, here is an activity that can help you get started!