3 Activities That Develop A Positive Attitude In Children: Tips For Parents

When your child expresses negative thoughts, or you see them disturbed by feelings like anger and sadness, you want to help them overcome the negativity, usually driven by shame, fear, or self-doubt, and encourage them to embrace a positive outlook. Practicing meditation with your child and introducing them to positive attitude and gratitude books are effective ways of developing an optimistic mindset.

But should we label negative thoughts exclusively as "bad" emotions?

While going through life crises, sadness helps us process difficult times. If you are capable of feeling guilt, you have a moral compass. So, both positive and negative thoughts and feelings play a significant role in how we see the world around us.

Avoiding emotions is not the answer. We must teach our children to process their emotions in a healthy manner instead of alienating them from certain emotions. Dr. Elana Ashley’s education books are great resources for developing positive thinking in children. Her books, like the Splunkunio Splunkey Detective & Peacemaker Case Two: Big Bully Holly Howler, empower the young readers to stand up for themselves and broaden their mindset, teaching them empathy.

If you are wondering how to make your child emotionally resilient and respond to negative thoughts in a healthier manner, engage them in activities that foster positivity. We have listed three of them here:

Loving-Kindness Meditation

Meditation focusing on compassion and kindness improves social connectedness and positive social behaviors, like generosity.

In loving-kindness meditation, you think of loved ones and send positive thoughts to them. Practice this form of meditation with your child. After a few weeks, you can encourage them to direct good-hearted wishes to more neutral people in their lives.

Awe Moments Journal

Recognizing and appreciating the little moments of happiness are important factors that contribute to positive thinking.

Apart from encouraging your child to read positive attitude and gratitude books, you should also encourage them to maintain an "awe journal." Hugs, birds singing in the backyard, laughter, kind acts, beautiful sunsets, rainbows, freshly baked cookies, anything from their daily lives that your child finds extraordinary or beautiful goes in their journal. They can even write poems or draw to describe those moments, and you can discuss the journal weekly with them.

Working on an awe journal keeping will teach your child to search and recognize beauty everywhere, helping them form a more positive outlook of the world and themselves.

Practice Positive Affirmations

When your child repeats positive statements to themselves, their self-esteem is boosted, and their negative self-talk is replaced by positive thinking.

Affirmations have the most impact when the child comes up with them themselves. The healing power associated with affirmations comes from internalizing the positive words, not just saying them aloud. Your child is also taking ownership of the process, and that will motivate them to commit to those affirmations.

Just guide them to come up with positive, short, and present tense affirmations, such as, "I am kind," "I am a good friend," "I am loving."

Final Words

These activities will train your child’s brain to develop healthy responses to their emotions. Their resilience, confidence, and overall happiness will multiply.

Planet earth is humanity’s only home, and books that teach our kids to fill our home with love, empathy, and positivity are always a great addition to their reading collection! So, combine these activities with the daily reading of impact-making books.

The author is an online bloggerJoyful living, learning, and loving on and throughout Planet Earth.