Hi Everyone,
Optimism is a positive mental attitude, which as you can imagine, is incredibly important for children to practice. Optimism helps us to feel happy and confident and it also motivates us to keep trying, even when obstacles get in our way. It is important to teach children how to be optimistic, so that they will be much better prepared for dealing with life’s challenges.
Here are some great tips from an independent girl’s school in Surrey, on how to help your child develop a positive outlook on life…
Be a Good Role Model
Children learn from their parents, so it is important that you demonstrate an optimistic attitude for your child to follow. Try to encourage positivity, resilience and gratefulness in your daily life, in order for your child to develop a ‘can-do’ attitude.
Take a Step Back
Try not to do everything for your child. Sometimes it is better to take a step back and let children work things out for themselves. Let your child take risks, solve problems and make their own choices. This little bit of independence will help their confidence to grow.
Encourage a Growth Mindset
Help your child to develop a ‘growth mindset’. This is a method of positive thinking that will support children through challenges and setbacks. Children with a growth mindset believe that their abilities will improve over time, which encourages them to keep trying. They will also learn how to see mistakes as learning opportunities.
Give More Responsibility
In order to help your child develop an optimistic attitude, you will need to give them more opportunities to prove their abilities and feel responsible. Entrusting your child to complete tasks alone will help to make them to feel more capable. Ask your child to help with some simple jobs around the house, such as cooking dinner, or looking after a pet. This will increase their feelings of competency and help them to feel good about themselves.
Practice Gratitude
Practise daily gratitude with your children, by helping them to look for the positives in their life. Gratitude is such an effective technique for improving your mental health and maintaining an optimistic attitude. A simple way to practise gratitude is by thinking of three things you are grateful for each day and writing them down.
Be Supportive
Talk to your child about their hopes and dreams, and always encourage their passions. Discuss what steps they will need to take in order to reach their goals and reassure your child that you will always be there to support them.
Laura x
[…] loveable. It also allows them to develop a healthy self-respect that is necessary for positive mental health and developing a positive mental […]