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| Art by ~2Happy |
Young people graduate from school
equipped to solve mathematical equations, arrange chemical experiments, and
write essays. But often they graduate to the adult life not equipped with
skills that will help them deal with everyday struggles, emotions, and
difficulties. They are not equipped to be happy individuals.
Happiness is arguably the
ultimate meaning of our life. Is there anything we want more for our kids than
to be happy? If given a choice, would a parent prefer that her child knows
capital cities of all countries or knows how to be a happy person? The ultimate
purpose of the traditional academic education is to instill children with knowledge needed for for their
future careers. But it does not teach kids the good attitude to deal with the many future personal
experiences that make up our life. Inner
well-being and peace are as crucial and necessary as the academic skills. It does not make sense to pay no attention to the development of
happiness skills.
In 2011, United Kingdom published a
report that confirms that lots of kids face serious emotional problems by the
time they graduate school. Based on UK statistics, which probably does not
differ too much from the situation in the USA, by the time an average class of
30 young people reach their 16th birthdays:
- 10 of them will have witnessed their parents separate
- 3 will have suffered from mental health problems
- 8 will have experienced severe physical violence, sexual abuse or neglect
- 3 will be living in a step family
- 1 will have experienced the death of a parent
- 7 will report having been bullied.
Relate (a leading provider
of counseling, therapy, and education in UK) cites research evidence which shows that
emotional and mental health problems developed in childhood and adolescence go
on to affect adults later in life. The resulting problems with poor emotional
adjustment and general feelings of unhappiness are bad enough. But that is not
all the consequences our kids are facing. Unhappiness and emotional imbalance
can cause young people to do badly in exams or drop out of education
altogether, with consequent damage to their long-term employment prospects and
health. For more on the report, see
http://www.relate.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/2013/12/11/relate-calls-statutory-provision-counselling-schools.
I agree with Relate's specialist that
schools are the best places to reach young people, and early intervention is
effective. But I believe that the most effective solution is prevention. Adding
the subject of happiness to school curriculum can help children better deal
with their issues, and develop coping mechanisms for the future.
Usually, the kids get emotional guidance
and character building from interacting with families and friends. As parents,
we always try our hardest to raise good people: continuously pass our wisdom to
our kids, indoctrinate our values to them, tell them what is good and what is
bad, teach them manners, help them with the choice of profession and life
partner (if they let us). But do we teach them how to be happy, joyful, grateful,
peaceful? Do we live our lives with contentment and moderation, leading our
children by example? Parents are people too, and not all of us are happy
ourselves. Unfortunately, we do not always have the time, the vision or the
skills to instill the basics of happiness into our children. So both the adults
and the kids go about the pursuit of happiness by the trial and error method.
There are
more and more politicians, organizations and individuals who believe that
happiness skills can be learned and should be included in traditional
educations. On his Facebook page, the Dalai Lama says that education is the
proper way to promote compassion, piece of mind and tolerance in society, which
bring a sense of confidence and reduce stress and anxiety (https://www.facebook.com/DalaiLama)
. England requested that schools and colleges promote wellbeing to students (http://www.optimus-education.com/can-schools-promote-happiness).
The US army uses classes developed by the "Authentic Happiness"
program at the University of Pennsylvania to increase resilience levels of the
troops (http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletter.aspx?id=1552).
School is the place where our kids
grow up, and where they are formed as individuals as much as they are at home. The school system has the infrastructure for influencing entire generations, letting out better adjusted and happier people. Unfortunately,
schools spend most of their efforts on achieving high
test results and good rankings. There is little emphasis on personal or emotional
development. I believe
happiness skills are among some of the most important skills a person
possesses. To me it is obvious that the school system must help develop
happiness skills as much as literacy skills in all children. I would like to
see USA schools and schools all over the world to add happiness lessons to
their curricula and deliver it to every kid. It will make for better adults and
for better societies, and ultimately, for better world.
To see this happen, I plan to open
an organization to raise public support, develop happiness curriculum and promote it to schools and departments of education in the US and possibly, worldwide.
If you think this idea is important and worthwhile, and you
would like to help, please contact me. I am looking for anyone who can
contribute their skills, knowledge, and advice in the fields of not-for-profit organizations,
school curricula, marketing, public relations, legal aspects and more!
