How do we teach our kids contentment? I want to unpack this question from all angles. From why it is hard for us as parents, how we teach them reactively vs on purpose, where the emotion of contentment comes from, the purpose of discontentment and growing our tolerance of discontentment. 

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Topics covered in this episode:

The difference between being happy vs being content Happiness as a parenting goal can be very defeating and maybe even counterproductive

Should happy kids be our parenting goal

Recognizing that we live in a culture that is obsessed with happiness

The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris  66. Are you stuck in the hustle for happiness? Finding contentment in momlife

Teaching our kids contentment, how we do it reactively and without intention

Pretending you're happy

Parenting Book: Review for Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child 120. Teaching our kids emotional intelligence

Guilt and deprivation

The ‘not-enough’ mindset (how to spot a scarcity mindset and shift it to an abundance mindset)

Consider how we learn contentment in our own lives 

How to really start showing up for your life How To Find Your Enneagram Type (and how it has changed my life) Hard and awesome (from Think The Best of Me) 140. Give your discomfort a purpose #uncomfortableonpurpose 115. A Controlling mom, or a capable mom? Finding Joy In Your Every Day (#theperfectmomentsproject) How to get that feeling (why values matter + free LIVE YOUR VALUES worksheet) How Simplifying Your Home Can Teach You Who You Are

Comparing where your kids are to where other kids are. The pitfalls of using what you see, socially, to determine where you and your kids should be Understanding your own motivation on why you want your kids to be content

How we measure success as parents

The Baby That Always Cried (Our Story With Esophagitis) God’s Grace Through Difficult Parenting 166. How to find confidence in being the mom you are, intentional motherhood

What is hard about seeing your kids feel discontent

1. Tolerating tough emotions in our kids (and ourselves)

The CBT framework: our emotions come from our thinking 

1. Why it matters what you think (limiting mindsets in motherhood) What We Say About Ourselves (and why it matters) I Think, I Am! By Louise Hay Big Life Podcast (growth mindset for kids) Making Change: Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? (growth mindset for adults)

Our natural discontentment

Enjoying the simple pleasures (why it is hard and how to do it) The purpose of the emotion

1. 3 things to know about feeling negative emotions
2. Myths about emotion coaching our kids [LIVE]

Seeing the good, intentionally

Contentment and knowing our values

Happiness that is marketed to us, versus what we crave for contentment

Addressing how our kids use comparison and how we can teach them about comparison in the context of contentment 

Teaching our kids to look internally rather than externally

Showing, rather than telling, our kids about the different life experiences in the world The role we have as parents to model contentment and honour the times our kids feel discontent  Room to make mistakes while we learn 

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FULL TRANSCRIPT (unedited)

0:00 Hey friends, it's Shawna, your nerdy girlfriend from simpler purpose.ca. Welcome to Simple on Purpose podcast. So today I am doing one of the last posts until I wrap up the podcast for the summer. I'm going to spend my summer just balancing the two jobs that I have on the go. Finishing up school,