Finding the Magic in Parenting

Welcome to the Parenting Translator newsletter! I’m Dr. Cara Goodwin and my goal is to translate the scientific research into information that is useful, accurate, and relevant for parents. My new book, What To Do When You Feel Like Biting, is out this week and you can order it from Amazon here or from other retailers here. The next book in the series is What To Do When It’s Time To Calm Down, is also available for pre-order here.

So much of parenting takes place in the doldrums of everyday life— planning meals, blowing noses, soothing yet another tantrum, and tackling the endless mountain of laundry. Yet, every so often, a magical moment occurs that makes parenting feel like the miracle it truly is.

Maybe your child utters a new word, the siblings who usually bicker are suddenly snuggled up together on the couch, or an impromptu kitchen dance party erupts out of nowhere. Researchers call the feeling sparked by these moments “awe.”

Experiencing awe with your child might bring tears to your eyes, make your heart feel like it’s bursting, or leave you with a profound sense of connection to something greater than yourself. These awe-inspiring moments might arise when your child does something unexpectedly kind, reaches a new developmental milestone, says something hilariously wise, or simply shares a quiet, beautiful moment with you in nature.

The Magic of Awe

Awe is more than just a powerful emotion—it has real benefits. Research shows that parents who experience more moments of awe report greater life satisfaction, fewer negative emotions, and a deeper sense of meaning and emotional richness in their lives. While both awe and pride are positive experiences, they are distinctly different. Pride comes from feeling pleased with something your child has accomplished, whereas awe is a more transcendent, almost spiritual experience of wonder. Interestingly, research suggests that awe may be an even more rewarding experience than pride.

Researchers have even generated feelings of awe in the laboratory by asking parent to remember an experience with their child in which they experienced awe. Simply remembering these experiences caused parents to report that their lives were more full, interesting, and meaningful!

How to Experience this Magic in Your Own Life

So research finds that experiencing awe may really enrich your life but how do you generate these experiences