I don’t know about you, but as someone who often researches (and writes about) the impact of our childhoods on our adult selves, it seems like most of the information is focused on the negative. 

You may have seen the titles “10 signs you had a rough childhood” or “9 mistakes your parents made”. 

I’m not saying these aren’t necessary; they are.

A lot of people had less-than-ideal childhoods – according to the National Library of Medicine, for instance, an estimated 25% of children experience child abuse or neglect in their lifetime. And many don’t realize that these less-than-positive childhood experiences may be holding them back. Awareness can be the first step to overcoming it.

However, as I said, there is a lot of focus on the negative. 

Some of us had great childhoods but fail to recognize them. Today, we cover seven signs of this—signs that you had a happier childhood than most. 

Let’s dive in. 

1) Healthy communication was modeled by your parents

Did you grow up in a home where everyone seemed to know just how to express their feelings and thoughts? 

Was your household free from shouting matches, with conflicts typically resolved through calm discussions rather than heated arguments? 

If so, it’s a big sign of a happy childhood.

Why?

Well, research suggests that yelling makes children more aggressive. As noted by the experts at Healthline, it scares them and makes them feel insecure. 

Other research even suggests that it can lead to depressive symptoms. 

Healthy communication, on the other hand, facilitates smooth interactions and fundamentally enhances the joy and security of our childhood. 

More than this, as noted by Psych Central, the way we talk, listen, and respond to others often comes from what we saw and experienced in our early years. 

Basically, if your family handled disagreements with calm discussions and listened to each other’s viewpoints, you probably learned to communicate in the same healthy way.

In this case, you are more likely to carry these positive communication habits into adulthood, making it easier to build and maintain personal and professional relationships, which are key to happiness in adult life, too. 

2) You weren’t coddled

This is a big one, and it’s particularly common among well-intentioned parents, especially as family sizes have shrunk. 

When there are fewer children, parents often pour all their attention into them. They aim to protect and nurture, but this can sometimes lead to overprotective behaviors.

What does this look like? 

Well, according to the folks at Michigan State University, behaviors might include: 

• rushing to comfort a child immediately after a minor fall, 
• setting strict rules that prevent a child from getting dirty or being creative,
• imposing harsh punishments for small missteps, 
• placing too much emphasis on academic success and relying heavily on rewards and punishments.

Sound familiar?

If none of these scenarios ring a bell for you, it’s likely you had a pretty good upbringing. 

Clinical Psychotherapist Padraic Gibson called this kind of parenting the “Golden Cage of Parenting.” He explains in a Psychology Today article that while these parents often aim to boost their children’s self-esteem, they inadvertently prevent them from facing and overcoming real-world challenges.
Such experiences are crucial for developing genuine self-esteem.

He also noted that this sort of overparenting can teach children that effort isn’t necessary to achieve their goals, fostering an unrealistic view of how the world works. 

If your parents allowed you to experience life’s small failures and figure things out on your own, be thankful that they provided you with invaluable tools for dealing with the wider world.

3) Your parents stayed together

Sometimes, in writing posts like this, there are points that are tough to discuss but are so important that they can’t left out. This is one of them.

Some sources suggest that 50% of all children witness the ending of a parent’s marriage, yes 50%.

And while many individuals thrive despite their parents’ divorce and can find valuable lessons in such challenges, the overall impact of parental separation tends to be negative for children. 

Research consistently shows that children from divorced families may face a range of difficulties. These include academic struggles, feelings of sadness, and behavioral problems. 

Furthermore, people whose parents divorced are also more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, live in poverty, and experience instability in their own future families.

The point?

If your parents remained together through your childhood, this is a sign that your upbringing was happier than that of many others.

4) You don’t have trouble trusting others 

Do you find it easy to let people in and trust them? Are you comfortable being vulnerable, sharing personal feelings, and relying on others without fear? 

If so, it could be a sign that you had a secure and supportive childhood environment.

You see, for many, trust can feel like an uphill battle, and Healthline experts suggest that such difficulties in trusting others can often be traced back to experiences of neglect or inconsistency during childhood. 

It makes a lot of sense; when the people who were meant to be the most dependable and nurturing were not, it can deeply affect one’s ability to trust others.

However, if you grew up feeling secure in your relationships at home, where caregivers were reliable and responsive, you likely developed a strong foundation of trust. 

This doesn’t just make life easier; it enriches it. 

Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, and according to a long-term study by Harvard researchers, the quality of our relationships greatly influences our happiness more than anything else. 

5) Your parents encouraged you to be active

This one should come as no surprise. 

If you are a regular reader here at Global English Editing, you will know that we often preach the benefits of regular exercise on physical and mental health. 

As noted by Healthline, exercise can relieve stress, improve self-confidence, improve mood, promote sleep quality, and even sharpen memory and thinking. 

But the benefits aren’t limited to adults. 

Research related to children paints a very similar picture. For example, a review by the British Heart Foundation found that “The evidence showed a strong link between physically active children and improved self-esteem, confidence, attention span, and even academic achievements.”

So, think back to your childhood—were you encouraged to join sports teams, participate in dance, go hiking, or simply play actively outdoors? 

Perhaps your parents didn’t just nudge you off the couch; maybe they led by example. Did you exercise as a family? Did your dad play catch with you?

The point is if your parents encouraged you to be active and set an active lifestyle example themselves, this is a strong indicator of a good childhood environment. This encouragement likely not only helped you develop physically but also taught you habits that contribute to both your physical and mental well-being.

6) You can ‘allow’ yourself to be happy

I think it’s fair to say that most of us strive for happiness or, more realistically, do things that we think bring us happiness in one form or another—from the purchases we make to the jobs we choose. 

But some have an aversion to happiness -yes, they just can’t allow themselves to be happy.

A 2022 study explored this concept of “cherophobia,” or the fear of happiness. What was one of the sources?

You guessed it. Less-than-positive childhood experiences. 

Mohsen Joshanloo, who led the study, emphasized that childhood experiences could deeply influence one’s perception of happiness, often irrespective of how satisfied one is with current adult relationships. He said,“…experiences as a child may have a long-lasting impact on the person’s perception of happiness, independently of the individual’s satisfaction with current relationships in adulthood.”

Finding this hard to relate to? 

Well, good for you. It’s an indication that your early environment likely fostered a secure, positive view of life.

7) You had friends from an early age

Having friends and being socially engaged are crucial parts of growing up. If you remember being encouraged to make friends and play with other kids, this is another sign of a good childhood. 

A 2011 study focused on preschoolers shed light on how important these early social interactions are. It measured how children related to their peers who seemed happy versus those who appeared less happy. 

The findings were clear: children who are happier tend to engage more socially from an early age, giving them a head start in developing crucial social skills.

Did your parents encourage you to invite friends over, participate in group activities, or simply spend time playing with other children? 

If so, they were fostering your social development. And this likely not only helped you form early friendships but also taught you valuable interpersonal skills that are essential throughout life.

The bottom line

So there you have it, folks. 

If these signs sound familiar, chances are you had a happier childhood than most, giving you a strong foundation for a fulfilling and joyful adult life.

If not, well remember that our formative years don’t have to define us. 

We can all foster happiness in our lives with some commitment and effort. We have a full article on how you can get started here. 

Until next time.