Happiness vs. Goodness

I've been reading a lot about lately about the cultural focus on individual happiness rather then prioritizing being a good person. How the virtue of being good in our country has been over taken by our desire to be happy. Parents will say, as I have, I only want my kids to be happy, not thinking that their child's happiness might be at the cost of their learning restraint, to put others first, and thus sometimes not feeling happy.  People are so sure that it is important to be happy that'll they'll spend their last dime, or charge it, in order to purchase something they are sure will make them feel happier. Anti-social behavior can be rationalized by considering one's own benefiting rather then the good of the group. But there are times when doing the right thing can mean sacrificing and not being happy.  Does being good ultimately lead to being happy in the end anyway? Maybe one can fill fulfilled by being a good person, but not necessarily be happy. If we don't experience personal strife then how do we really know what true happiness is, we have nothing to compare it too?