This blog is about science-based parenting advice. I'm a sociologist and the executive director of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, and since I'm reading all the research related to raising happy children anyway, I thought we might as well make it USEABLE to parents. We hope this is a valuable counterpoint to some of the more opinion-based parenting advice platforms that are out there, especially because sorting out fact from fiction can be confusing when it comes to parenting.
That said, this blog is also about me and my children. It represents the intersection of my brain and my heart: my intellectual training in the social sciences and my very real, sometimes raw, experiences as a mother.
Why should you be a part of this blog?
I think that together we can make the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of raising happy children approachable. When you participate by commenting, giving us examples from your family life, you enrich the information on the blog, raise questions, and help other parents apply your learning to their own lives.
On good days, I believe that all this research-based parenting advice can make us better parents, and that when we become better parents, the world improves measurably. In our materially rich but spiritually sparse culture we often fail to act as though children are our future. But our parenting really does matter both for our children's well-being and for the greater good of the world.
Every single day I feel grateful for my children. And I work hard for their happiness. But I am not a perfect parent. In fact, I'm against perfectionism in just about everything, especially parenting.
I believe that there are happiness skills that we can practice with our children that will help them lead good, meaningful, happy lives. I believe that nothing that doesn't ultimately bring joy is worth doing. And I believe that happiness and compassion are all we need to cure the world's ills.
So welcome. Please sign up to receive this blog by email, and join me by sharing your thoughts—these real life experiences are more powerful than any academic study.
Special acknowledgement and gratitude also goes to the following folks who made this project happen, within our limited budget, through hard work and sheer force of will (and who probably ended up donating many hours of their time and talent in addition):
