Emerging psychological research is shedding light on an often-overlooked upside of parenting: moments of pride and awe experienced through a child can significantly improve a parent’s psychological well-being. These findings, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, suggest that feeling deeply proud or awestruck by one’s child’s achievements or character can help parents feel happier, more satisfied, and perceive their lives as richer and more meaningful. For many Thai parents navigating the daily challenges of raising children, these insights offer new reasons to celebrate meaningful moments amid the pressures of modern family life (PsyPost).
Parenting is often depicted as exhausting, stressful, and thankless. However, despite these challenges, many Thai adults view parenthood as a core part of leading a meaningful life or fulfilling social expectations. With Thailand’s family values rooted in filial piety and intergenerational bonds, understanding the positive emotional payoffs of parenting is vital—especially as mental health among parents becomes a growing public concern (Bangkok Post). The recent research explores what lies on the emotional flip side of parental burnout: moments of pride and awe that can make family life both joyful and mentally rejuvenating.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Rochester, used three distinct investigations: a cross-sectional survey, a three-month longitudinal study, and a controlled experiment with parents. Over 500 parents participated in surveys about how frequently they felt pride and awe due to their children, as well as completed scales measuring satisfaction with life, perceived meaning, psychological richness (the sense of variety and novelty in life), and levels of negative emotion. The findings were clear: parents who regularly experienced pride reported higher life satisfaction and fewer negative emotions. Awe, while less commonly felt than pride, was linked to even broader benefits—greater psychological richness, stronger sense of meaning, and increased overall life satisfaction. These effects remained robust regardless of the parent’s or child’s gender or age, and held even after accounting for children’s temperaments.
In the longitudinal follow-up, 130 parents were studied over several months to track how changes in feelings of pride and awe preceded changes in well-being. Early experiences of pride predicted later increases in life satisfaction, while awe led to an expanding sense of meaning in life. Notably, these benefits were seen regardless of whether the child was easy or difficult to care for—suggesting the positivity of these emotions isn’t just a result of having a “good” child, but of the emotional engagement of the parent.
An experimental arm of the study asked 261 parents to reflect on ordinary moments, pride-inducing occasions, and awe-inspiring experiences with their children. Both pride and awe enhanced feelings of satisfaction and lowered negative emotion, but awe was especially potent in raising psychological richness and sense of meaning. Parents described awe as stronger when witnessing acts of kindness, perseverance, or special milestones, such as a first step or a creative achievement; pride often followed a child’s success or display of personal growth.
These emotional boosts weren’t just fleeting pleasures. The researchers dug deeper into why pride and awe had these effects. They found both emotions built a stronger sense of love, connection, and self-transcendence—a psychological term for the sensation of belonging to something larger than oneself. Awe in particular was linked to a unique effect: parents felt like time slowed down, enabling them to “savor” the moment—a phenomenon which closely echoes mindful practices long upheld in Thai Buddhist culture.
According to the research team, “feelings of awe from witnessing something remarkable in your child—like their first steps—can slow your sense of time and make the moment seem to play in slow motion. These events can be savored, making them powerful contributors to parental well-being.” The study’s author, affiliated with the University of Rochester, noted that he was inspired in part by conversations with parents and recent reports from the U.S. Surgeon General on the urgent need to support parental mental health (US Dept of Health and Human Services).
What does this mean for Thai families, and could it inform local policy or common practices? In a society where close family relationships play a significant role, these findings suggest that recognizing and cultivating small moments of pride and awe may be central to family resilience. As traditional values are challenged by economic pressures, urbanization, and changing gender roles, identifying sources of joy in parenting could support national efforts to combat rising parental mental health problems (UNICEF Thailand).
Thailand’s unique blend of Buddhist mindfulness, respect for elders, and celebration of children’s achievements offers fertile ground for applying these findings. Thai parents, whether in bustling Bangkok or rural provinces, often mark their children’s special milestones with temple blessings and family gatherings—practices that naturally evoke awe and pride. For example, parents may experience awe during a child’s wai khru ceremony, when students honor their teachers—the kind of emotionally rich moment described in the research. Similarly, pride often follows academic success or overcoming adversity, aligning closely with the research’s triggers for this emotion.
However, the study acknowledges its limitations: it did not measure the long-term effects of awe or pride, nor did it study how parental emotional experiences spill over to impact children. As the research team pointed out, future investigations might explore if awe or pride can “spread” to children and other family members, perhaps even enhancing family harmony or a child’s own sense of self-worth. In a Thai context, this could inform everything from parenting workshops to school-based family engagement initiatives.
Looking forward, these discoveries have potential implications for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations. The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, which recently launched a campaign to improve family mental health, might use these findings to encourage parents to acknowledge and share moments of awe and pride. Hospital-based parenting programs or school parent groups could include activities that prompt parents to reflect on “awe-inspiring” or “proud” family events, harnessing their psychological benefits.
For Thai parents seeking practical steps, the advice is simple yet profound. Instead of waiting for grand achievements, notice and “savor” small milestones—whether your child helps a friend, shares a meal with kindness, or shows curiosity about the world. Taking time for mindful reflection or family rituals, such as gratitude circles before bedtime, can invite moments of pride and awe into everyday life. Documenting these moments in a family journal or sharing them with relatives could also help build stronger emotional ties and support well-being for everyone.
In summary, while parenting in Thailand—like everywhere—comes with its share of stress, recognizing and savoring moments of pride and awe unlocks some of the “hidden joys” of raising children. These emotions can help transform daily routines into sources of meaning, resilience, and happiness, supporting mental health and strengthening the fabric of Thai families. As researchers continue to unpack the ripple effects on children and wider communities, one point is clear: the emotional rewards of parenting, when recognized and embraced, can uplift not only individuals but entire families and cultures.
For those interested in reading the full research, see the report at Social Psychological and Personality Science, and broader coverage at PsyPost.