A Harvard study following people for more than 85 years found one thing matters most: the quality of their relationships—not their test scores, job titles, or GPA (source). The people who stayed connected lived longer, stayed healthier, and felt more fulfilled.

🌱 This is Future-Ready Parents—where we turn parenting worries into small, practical wins that build confident, tech-savvy kids (and calm, capable parents).

What to Expect Today

Today’s issue shows how strong relationships lay the foundation for your child’s lifelong well-being. You’ll get a 4-part modeling checklist to help you build connection through daily habits they can see and learn from.

TL;DR: Harvard says connection matters most. This tool helps you model it—starting today.

Why It Matters

It’s easy to put our energy into all the things that we think will get us “far in life”—good grades, clubs/activities, awards and other achievements. (I’m guilty of this.) But that’s not what the science points to.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development found that the most reliable predictor of a good life—long-term health, happiness, even income—is strong, close relationships. Not how “smart” someone is, but how connected.

Arthur Brooks, who teaches happiness science at Harvard, puts it simply: we build joy through habits. The ones that matter most? Connection habits—things like sharing time, listening well, showing appreciation, and keeping friendships alive.

As parents, this means we need to really start thinking beyond just: Are my kids learning to connect? But also: What are they picking up from watching me?

This checklist below helps you answer that. This is meant to be a quick reflection tool to help you live out the relationship habits your child needs to see.

The Tool: Your Relationship Habits Checklist

Here’s a 4-part checklist based on research from Arthur Brooks and the Harvard study. Scan it honestly. Pick one place to focus this week.

1. Shared Experience

Do you create regular moments of “pleasure + people + memory”?

• We have at least one shared ritual—weekly meals, weekend walks, or game night

• I intentionally create one fun moment this week (even something simple, like a pancake breakfast or 10-minute card game)

• Our time together is more than just logistics or errands

2. Active Listening

Do they feel heard—not just managed?

• I make eye contact and pause what I’m doing when they talk

• I ask follow-ups or reflect back, instead of giving advice right away

• I stay with their thoughts, even if I don’t agree

3. Visible Appreciation

What do they see about how we care for each other?

• I say thank you out loud—for effort, not just outcomes

• I repair after conflict with a real apology

• They’ve seen me give affection or encouragement to others

4. Adult Friendships

What are they learning about maintaining adult connection?

• I’ve protected a moment for friendship this week—even just a 10-minute call

• I talk about my friendships in front of my child

• I’ve named what a healthy friendship looks like—and why it matters

Start here: Choose one area. Let your child see it. Name it out loud. That’s how modeling works.

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BEFORE YOU GO…

You don’t need to fix everything at once. Just one visible habit can shift how your child understands connection. That’s how future-ready parenting works—one small, consistent model at a time.

Until next time,
James Brauer
Founder, Future-Ready Parents