Breakthrough new research shows that this feeling of surprise may be more than just a proud parental moment when your child does something unexpected – it may be the key to your happiness.
Scientists at the University of Rochester have found that parents who are awe of their children have significantly enhanced mental health benefits compared to other positive emotions. These findings are at a critical moment when parents’ mental health issues reach shocking levels nationwide.
Princeton Chee noted: “Parents everywhere are struggling for mental health and well-being, and even American surgeons are calling for the urgent need to support their parents better.”
The study, published on April 21 in Psychological and Personality Science, distinguishes between two positive emotions parents usually experience: pride and awe. Although both emotions benefit from parents, awe show a stronger connection to overall life satisfaction.
“Awe can actually be more broadly compared to pride, and overall enhances the well-being of parents and makes their lives happier, more meaningful and richer,” Chee explained.
The difference seems to stem from the way these emotions work. Pride is often centered on the individual self and specific achievements, while awe connects parents with something bigger than themselves – whether it is a parent-child relationship or the concept of the parents themselves.
Most parents can easily identify with both emotions. “Parents may be proud when their kids do something they work hard and succeed and accomplish. They may be in awe when their kids do something amazing or completely unexpected, which makes them want to say “wow” or “wow”.”
Through cross-sectional, longitudinal and experimental methods, the researchers identified specific triggers for these emotional responses. Pride is most common in witnessing a child’s growth, talent, resilience or good behavior. At the same time, awe are often caused by love or kindness, development milestones, talent performance or the expression of special sharing moments.
Perhaps the most attractive thing is finding that awe seems to change parents’ perceptions of time. Chee points out: “In particular, awe can help parents fully immerse themselves in their own process and make time feel slowing down at extraordinary moments.” This view of slowing down time is a mechanism that awe can enhance parents’ well-being.
The researchers used thematic analysis to classify parents’ experiences and found that pride predicted greater pleasure (high satisfaction and low negative effects), while awe predicted a wider range of improvements—enhanced pleasure, purpose, and psychological richness.
Chee will rest assured parents who are worried about discovering awesome moments in their busy lives. “Awe may be much easier than you think,” he explained. “It doesn’t have to be once in a lifetime, it’s an extraordinary experience for parents to feel awe. These are certainly awesome moments, but the awe of awe and many of its rewards can also be cultivated as simply as a weekend outing and a great time with children.”
This study complements a growing number of studies on the psychological benefits of awe in a variety of situations. What makes these findings particularly important is that they apply them to everyday family life when many parents report feeling overwhelmed and underestimated.
The research team included Claire Shimshock and Bonnie Le and carefully examined how these emotional rewards play a role in diverse parent and child traits. Their internal meta-analysis confirms the consistency of these benefits, regardless of demographic factors.
It is important to acknowledge that these positive emotional experiences do not minimize parenting challenges. Instead, the study shows that intentionally fostering and tasting moments of awe can be an accessible, cost-free resource to enhance the well-being of parents.
As mental health professionals increasingly recognize the unique pressures faced by parents today, this study provides a practical way to find greater meaning and realization in the parenting journey, rather than through expensive interventions, but through ways to change emotional awareness and appreciation.
For millions of parents struggling to balance work and family obligations, this message is surprisingly hopeful: The road to happier may begin with focusing only on those “wow” moments that already exist in daily family life.
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