This is a collaborative post.
It’s incredibly important for children to have a positive mental attitude if they want to succeed in school and build strong personal relationships. With that said, parents should try and promote optimism, to help their children find the joys in life and look to the future with a hopeful, confident approach. Optimism will also help them cope with life’s challenges and become more resilient people. I have teamed up with a private school in London to share some tips on how to raise an optimistic child.
Lead By Example
As a parent, it’s always wise to try and be a good role model and display the types of behaviour that you would like your child to replicate. With that said, try and be a ‘glass half full’ sort of person around your child to encourage them to follow suit.
For example, if you have an important presentation coming up at work, try not to let your child see that you’re feeling nervous, and instead say things like “I’m sure I’ll do really well in my presentation as I’ve worked really hard on it”.
If you have to cancel your day out together due to bad weather, remain positive with statements such as “It’s a shame we couldn’t go to the beach but we’re going to have so much fun playing games and watching movies at home”.
Promote Gratitude
One way to encourage your child to be optimistic is to remind them how fortunate they are by asking them to share some things they appreciate or feel grateful for each evening.
It could be something as simple as a friend sharing a snack with them at break time, or someone giving them a lift to football practice. The more they focus on the good things in life, the more likely they are to look to the future with a positive attitude and a sense of excitement.
Be Supportive
There will be times when your child experiences setbacks and failures and it’s important that you support them through this disappointment. Remind them that it’s perfectly normal to make mistakes and face hardships and we just have to learn from them and move forward.
For example, if they fail an exam, don’t be too hard on them. Instead, focus on how proud you are for how hard they tried and tell them that there will always be another opportunity to perform well in school.
The above are just a few suggestions for helping your child become more optimistic. There are, of course, other things you can do to promote this attitude within your family, such as helping them develop their skills and confidence and ensuring they always have something positive to look forward to.
It’s also worth chatting to your child about their hopes and dreams so that they can strive to fulfil their goals.
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