Over the summer, my very risk-averse 4 year old did something amazing. He learned to ride a pedal bike without training wheels! Let me be fully honest, this was a task that was met with a LOT of resistance. My husband and I are triathletes, so of course we wanted him to learn how to ride a bike. Of course we knew he could do it. And, of course we assumed he would WANT to!

We were so excited to teach him this skill because we fully believe in his abilities. We bought the bike we had heard rave reviews about. We had a plan. We were SO READY!

And then... he was not at all interested.

Not only did he not want to learn how to ride a bike, but he would get extremely upset when we even brought it up. He would cry, tell us how scared he was and flat out refuse to even sit on it. 

We felt SO guilty. Had we put too much pressure on him? Would he ever be interested in riding a bike? Shouldn't he be proud that he would be the first of his friends to learn to ride without training wheels? I talked for a long time about this with a colleague of mine who is a child psychiatrist. The conversation was humbling to say the least. What I took away from his advice was that at this age, our kids are doing everything they can to compare themselves with the world around them, to see where and how they fit in. Whether we notice it or not, they are constantly analyzing whether or not they are meeting the expectations of their family and their environment. This is a phase of development where we really get to see our child's personality come through... and they may be VERY different people than we are! Not only is it our job to accept who they are, but we also have to teach them that YES, THEY FIT IN and YES, THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH! Its the perfect opportunity to meet our kids exactly where they are. I can tell you this is much more easily said than done. 

Positive affirmations are short, positive statements that help challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. They can serve as a powerful tool that can help boost your child's self-esteem. These statements allow your child to borrow your belief in them, until they are able to see it for themselves! These simple statements can instill confidence, foster a growth mindset, and encourage a positive outlook on life. 

While teaching our son to ride his bike didn't go exactly as we expected, he did overcome his fears. Positive self-talk was a huge component to this process because we wanted to show him what he is capable of accomplishing. We would start every evening with "I'm brave, I'm strong, and I can do anything." And you know what? Eventually he started to see what we were talking about.

In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of positive affirmations for kids and I'll provide a list of affirmations you can use to empower your little ones, too.

1. Boosting Self-Confidence: Affirmations help kids believe in their abilities and build self-assurance. Repeated exposure to positive statements can counteract self-doubt and help them overcome fear or worry.

2. Encouraging a Growth Mindset: Affirmations can foster a growth mindset by emphasizing the importance of effort, learning, and resilience. They teach kids that challenges are opportunities for growth.

3. Developing Resilience: Affirmations equip children with the mental tools to face setbacks and difficulties with resilience. They learn to bounce back from failures and maintain a positive attitude. These can be especially helpful for kids with a low frustration tolerance, you might give up or get flustered before they are even able to begin to try something new.

4. Promoting Self-Love: By regularly using affirmations, kids develop a habit of self-compassion and self-love, which is crucial for mental and emotional well-being.

Here are some you can try:

Now that we understand the significance of positive affirmations, let's explore a list of affirmations you can use with your kids. Feel free to modify these to suit your child's age and personality:

1. "I am loved, and I love myself just the way I am."

2. "I can do hard things with determination and patience."

3. "Mistakes help me learn and grow; they don't define me."

4. "I can achieve my goals if I work hard and stay focused."

5. "I am unique, and that's what makes me special."

6. "I have the courage to express my thoughts and feelings."

7. "I choose kindness, and it makes the world a better place."

8. "I am strong, both inside and out."

9. "I believe in myself and my abilities."

10. "I am brave, and I can do anything.”

To make the most of positive affirmations, consider these tips:

1. Consistency: Encourage your child to repeat affirmations daily, preferably in the morning or before bedtime. In front of the mirror in the morning works really well!

2. Encouragement: Be a role model by using affirmations yourself, and praise your child's efforts.

3. Tailoring Affirmations: Customize the vocabulary to address specific challenges or goals your child faces.

4. Visualization: Encourage your child to visualize the positive outcome associated with the affirmation.

5. Affirmation Cards: Create or purchase affirmation cards that your child can choose from each day.

Conclusion:

Positive affirmations are a powerful tool for changing a child's perspective and helping them overcome fears. By incorporating these statements into your daily routine, you can help your child develop a strong sense of self-worth and the belief that they can achieve their goals! Empower your children with these positive affirmations and watch them grow into confident individuals, capable of ANYTHING!

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