There is nothing quite like the relationship you have with your parents. As they say, blood runs thicker than water. If you do not have your own children, it might be difficult for you to understand the bond shared between a parent and a child – but surely, you have been on the receiving end of that affection.
How to Make Your Parents Happy
One of the best ways to keep that relationship strong is to work hard to make your parents happy. Knowing what your parents want and need is one of the easiest ways to strengthen the relationship. Here’s how you can make your parents happy to bring a little more light into their lives.
1. Try to understand where they are coming from
It can be hard, sometimes, to see things from your mom or dad’s perspective. However, there is nothing quite like the dedication they have for you. They love you, despite the fact that you probably kept them awake for hours at a time, caused them a great deal of stress, and perhaps were not the easiest child to raise.
Despite all of this, your parents love you unconditionally. It can be hard, from a child’s perspective, to understand why your parents place certain restrictions on your life. However, it is important you understand that these restrictions were only put in place to keep you safe and healthy. As you get older, do your best to understand where your parents are coming from. This will help you feel closer to them over time.
2. Cook your parents a meal
Your parents work hard to keep food on the table, so why not return the favor? Cook up a nice meal for your parents and they will surely appreciate it.
Breakfast in bed is a great idea, too, as is a nice dinner. Even if you can’t cook, you can try to make some toast or just a simple sandwich. Even the smallest efforts will be cherished by them.
3. Just be with them
You do not need to plan fancy outings or social events to spend time with your parents – just be with them! As you get older, you will likely start pulling away from your family, being drawn more to social cliques or school activities. Once you leave the nest, there is a good chance that loneliness will begin to strike your parents. They might fear you leaving and become even more strict.
Therefore, it is important that you spend time with your parents to let them know that they are still valuable. Take them out to dinner or stop by for a visit once you have flown the nest. They do not care what you do – they will be happy just to see you.
4. Be grateful
Without a doubt, your parents have probably done a ton for you. They have made many sacrifices to help you get the education, job, and life you deserve. For everything they did for you, they likely expected nothing in return. The very least you can do is show them this gratitude with small steps. You can send some flowers or go for a visit and provide them with memories that they will cherish for a lifetime.
5. Make them smile
Sure, all of the steps we have mentioned above are sure to help your parents smile. But rather than just going through the motions, why not go out of your way to show your parents that you care? Give your mom a kiss on the cheek or give your dad a hug. They are going to see right away how much you love them, and that is sure to put a bright smile on their face.
6. Let them vent
You are not the only person who gets stressed. Your parents have a lot on their plates, too. Therefore, why don’t you ask them how things are going? See if there is a problem and if there is anything you can do to help. More likely than not, they do not want to share these problems with you because parents usually won’t want to unload their burdens on their children.
But that is not always the case. They may be so overwhelmed that they decide to share their feelings with you. If they do, listen carefully and attentively.
You might be the main concern! If that is the case, listen closely and learn more about how you can improve. The lectures and criticism can be irritating or even disparaging, but remember that your parents only have your best interests at heart.
Listen, your parents have issues to complain about too. Let them complain! Whether they decide to share their concerns with you or not, simply offering to lend an ear can make a huge difference.
7. It’s the little things
Pay attention to various events around the year. Whether it is a birthday, Father’s Day (
3rd Sunday in June), Mother’s Day (
2nd Sunday of May), your parents’ wedding anniversary, or another momentous occasion, make sure you take notice. Get a gift – it does not have to be anything expensive. You could even make a gift yourself if you are short on cash!
And if you aren’t sure what to do, take them out for the day. Go to lunch or to a movie. Organize a picnic with their favorite food. Make the little moments count because those are the moments that truly matter.
There are other small ways you can appreciate your parents, too. When you go over to their home for a meal, tell them how good it was. Help them cook or wash up afterwards. Make a little handmade thank-you note, or show your affection in other ways. There are thousands of ways that you can do this and don’t feel limited by a lack of ideas! A simple search on Google will yield tons of ideas.
8. Be honest
If you messed up, tell the truth. Do not lie. Not only will it not make your parents happy, but it is not the right thing to do. Be honorable and take the proper steps to make sure your dedication to your parents is clear.
9. Avoid arguing
Arguing is bound to happen. If you have never argued with your parents before, there is probably something wrong! In fact, once you become a teenager, you are probably going to argue with your parents a lot more. You might even think you know better than them. However, you need to keep in mind that your parents are older than you, and frankly, probably a lot wiser. They have a lot more life experience and you really do not have the right to argue.
You may feel resentful in your head, but try not to express this resentment too often. Save it for the moments that you think are really important. You aren’t going to gain a lot by arguing with everything your parents say and it will just wear them down. Remember, at the end of the day, what your parents are doing is likely for your own good. Listen to them and try to calm your ego, OK?
10. Do your best in school
One of the easiest ways to make your parents happy is to do as well as you can in school. Not everybody is born to be a super genius, of course, but by working as hard as you can, you will show your parents that they did a good job of raising you.
Your main job, as a kid, is to dedicate yourself to your schoolwork. There is nothing that makes a parent more proud than being able to show off an assignment.
They will be so proud of their efforts in shaping you into who you are today! Even if you aren’t the valedictorian or on the honor roll, caring about your grades and being active at school activities are some of the best things you can do to make them happy
Some things to avoid? Do not skip school and do not be afraid of getting help from your teachers. You can also ask your parents for help with your homework! They often know a lot more than you might think and can remember the coursework from their own days in school. Plus, it will make them feel good about themselves when you ask.
11. Apologize
Everybody makes mistakes but know that that’s OK! It is just part of being human. However, it is important that you avoid letting your ego get the best of you. You need to show your parents some respect and admiration, and you can do this by apologizing when you make mistakes. Let’s face it – being stubborn will get you nowhere. Do not be defensive but instead, learn from your past mistakes so that you can all move forward. Be sincere and apologize.
12. Send handwritten notes
Sure, it is nice if you can text or email your parents once in a while. But there is something to be said about a handwritten note, letter, or card. Take some time to write something that truly represents your feelings. They will love it even more if you send some pictures – perhaps one you took with your friend, a partner, or even your own children. Your parents will be absolutely delighted.
13. Pay them back
Of course, the best way to pay it forward to your parents is to show them that
you have become a strong, respectful, and independent person. But another thing you could do? You may want to consider giving your parents your first month’s salary when you start to work. They will probably refuse it, but that is okay because it is not the point. The point is that you will be able to show to them that you are independent and strong. All thanks, of course, to your parents.
They Really Do Not Want That Much
As you can see, all your parents really want is for you to spend time with them and to see that you are happy or successful – it really is that simple! It does not take a lot to make their day and a small gesture from you could mean a lot to them. So, why not drop by at your parents’ place tomorrow? Or just pick up the phone now and ask how are they doing, and put that smile on their face!
