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A positive mindset in a child can boost confidence and make a child more resilient towards life to be independent. So, developing a positive mindset from an early age is crucial for a successful healthy life.

 

 

 

 

 

Responsible parents want their children to shine in their life. To have that self-belief and can-do attitude a right mindset is a prerequisite. A positive mindset towards life indicates the child has a positive expectation that things will have a positive outcome and they will achieve success. To build the right kind of attitude in your children there are many effective activities parents can do. In this article, we will talk about the five most important strategies to develop a positive mindset in your children. Keep reading!

 

 

What is a positive mindset?

 

 

 

 

 

A positive mindset is a state of mind where the child has self-belief and how positively perceives the world. According to the Guardian, “The belief that you can do something not only motivates you to do it – it lifts your mood and lowers your anxiety”. Having a positive mental attitude is a power that pushes you to give up and thrive in life. Key elements for a positive mindset:

 

 

 

 

 

Acceptance: A right mindset develops the habits of the children to accept that things always don’t go as per planning, there will be times when you have to accept failure and move on. But in those difficult times giving up is not an option.

 

 

 

 

 

Mindfulness: A positive mindset makes the child aware of both positive and negative thoughts and trains them how to deal with both situations and prioritise helpful thoughts.

 

 

Optimism: Optimistic children believe things will eventually have a positive outcome. They believe in themselves and are ready for challenges at every step of the way.

 

 

Fighting against negative attitude

 

 

 

 

 

In life, children can easily get caught in negative thoughts. The whole point of developing a positive attitude in life is to be able to fight against negative thoughts. If parents find children having negative attitudes in life the reason could be:

 

 

 

 

 

Too much criticism on simple issues

 

 

Too many restrictions on the child

 

 

Overprotective behaviour

 

 

Suffering from mental issues

 

 

Unhealthy and disturbed environment at home

 

 

So, it is important to eliminate negative thoughts and practice a positive mental attitude for the child to be self-dependent and confident.

 

 

How to develop a positive mindset in children?

 

 

Adapting a positive mindset in children is not an easy task. It takes time to develop the habit so childhood is the best time to develop this positive attitude in the child. Here are some effective ways to develop a positive mindset in your child.

 

 

Helping others

 

 

 

 

 

The research found that helping others increases the chances of well-being. It helps the child to be more active in return it improves self-esteem. According to Mental Health Foundation, helping others changes the brain function and it is directly linked to the brain. This is the reason children to take part in volunteer activities have found that higher self-esteem and overall well-being than others who are not part of volunteering activities. Moreover, it develops a sense of belonging in the child and makes new friends which also makes them socially more active.

 

 

 

 

 

When children help others they feel good about it and ultimately it will lead to an optimistic feeling in general. For example, the child could be active in outdoor activities where helping build a team or arranging tools could be a small initiative towards helping. In some cases, the only child could reduce loneliness and isolation through involvement in helping activities.

 

 

Setting goals

 

 

 

 

 

Goal setting is an effective way to increase your child’s motivation. Setting a practical goal will not only help them achieve success but also provide them with a skill they can carry throughout their lifetime. When a child sets a goal it helps them to develop a focused path to achieve success. Having a goal makes the journey more specific and it helps to not be distracted or get overwhelmed. The clarity of the goal will help them to achieve success and develop a positive attitude towards life.

 

 

 

 

 

To help develop the goal and a positive thinking attitude there is a strategy called the WOOP strategy by Dr Oettiengen.

 

 

 

 

 

Wish: Help the child to come up with a goal that she/he desperately wants to achieve.

 

 

 

 

 

Outcome: Keep the child engaged with visualising the outcome of the goal. What will they achieve? What will the outcome be? How will they feel?

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle: Make them visualise the practical step by making a list of obstacles that could stop the children from achieving the goal. These obstacles include giving up attitude or being distracted by another activity.

 

 

 

 

 

Plan: And lastly, make a plan to deal with the obstacles. Prepare the child by writing the sentence If/when [Obstacle], then I will [Effective Steps].

 

 

Sharing positivity

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing positivity is a strong attribute of a child to develop a positive mindset for life. It is a good practice to process your emotions healthily. Some shared activities will impact the positive mindset of the child. For example, watching movies together or reading a book could spark joy and happy feelings could lead to a positive thought. When parents give attention to their children, spend quality time with them, listen to their stories, hug them and laugh together it creates a natural bond between both parties and improves the shared positive emotions. Sharing positive moments such as when parents see interesting things like a rainbow the parents should call them immediately and make sure they enjoy the beauty together to experience a positive moment. Constantly exchanging this positivity will help them develop a positive mindset. Eventually, it will boost the positivity of the health as well.

 

 

Trying new activities

 

 

 

 

 

Trying new activities in childhood has numerous benefits. If the child doesn’t try new activities, they will never know their strengths. Children sometimes fear to attempt new activities. Moreover, studies found that most of the time children only get praise when they succeed from their parents. So, it is important to praise the child for the effort and process rather than only appreciating the success. Recognising child strengths and allowing them to develop what they enjoy is an excellent way of developing a positive mindset.

 

 

 

 

 

For example, if the child enjoys painting, let the child be admitted into a painting school and explore the artist's side of the personality. It will boost confidence and develop a positive attitude toward life. Additionally, parents should also encourage the child to participate in new activities such as outdoor activities or sports activities to increase resilience and courage. The more the child enjoys the more they develop a positive attitude.

 

 

Positive affirmation

 

 

 

 

 

Practicing positive affirmations are a positive statement that parents should help develop in children to improve their positivity in them. When the children repeat positive affirmations It will improve self-esteem, reduce negative thoughts, and develop a habit of positive thinking. Affirmations are more effective if the parents let the users make their own decisions and develop ideas. So, if the child is internalising the idea rather than just saying it out loud it will be more effective. Therefore, the child will learn the process of taking ownership and be more comfortable practicing affirmation.

 

 

 

 

 

Children should practice short and simple positive affirmations regularly such as:

 

 

 

 

 

I am brave

 

 

I am kind

 

 

I am loveable

 

 

I am strong

 

 

I am a good friend

 

 

I am unique

 

 

 

 

 

The affirmations are useful if it is not imposed on the child rather than if they are using them during sports activities or outdoor activities. Studies show that children learn better when they play. So, parents should initiate play activities to develop positive affirmation during play. Saying these positive affirmations the children will believe the capability in them and embrace a positive mindset since childhood.

 

 

Last words

 

 

 

 

 

Demonstrating positive attitude examples and developing a strong mindset helps the children overcome many problems in life. A confident child can deal with negative issues and still manage to be positive towards life. In this article, we tried to give you the top five strategies to develop a positive mindset in your child. We hope this helps you. Stay Positive!