Change is hard for everyone, especially for young children. Times of transition, like the start or end of a school year, moving to a new home or even returning from a visit to their grandparents’ house, can be tough. Disruptions caused by a change in a child’s life can cause anxiety, stress, outbursts and a host of other emotions. How you teach your child to handle these moments is an essential part of parenting.
Kids are pretty smart. They notice how we talk. If they see us complaining, whining or talking down to ourselves or others, they will, too. It’s just like when you accidentally swear around your child. They pick up and start using that word pretty quickly. That’s why it’s so important to demonstrate positive reinforcement around children. One way to do that is through positive affirmations or mantras. These are simple phrases that you can use to help ease moments of stress, anxiety, or emotional upheaval. Here are a few that are perfect for young children:
These are just a few affirmations that you can start using with your children. As a family, make your own affirmations! It’s a great way to help ease anxious minds during times of change. And chances are good that you will start to see shifts in your children’s attitudes and your own quickly. When we are tired, stressed and even hungry, our first inclination is usually to just go with it. It may seem much easier to travel down that negative spiral than to stop and reroute your thought processes. As with anything, though, practice will make it easier. Have your family members help each other notice when negative thoughts are being expressed. Then you can work together to remind one another of the positive affirmations you are using as a family.
Once you’ve picked your affirmations, talk about times when you might need to use them and practice each day. It could be a simple as taping a post it to the mirror with the affirmation. You can even use SendOutCards to design cards to send to loved ones with your statements! Start using daily mantras to remind your family why they are unique and what they are capable of achieving. It will teach positive thinking and improve your family life during stressful periods.