Is you child very negative and talking themselves down? Do they say things like “I’m stupid,” “I must be very dumb,” “Nobody likes me.”? Have you tried to use Positive Affirmation unsuccessfully?
I bet your heart sinks every time you hear your kids say these things about themselves. In this article, we will explore positive affirmation and how to create your own positive affirmations that are effective for kids!
Why Positive Affirmations might not be working
There are three main reasons why Positive Affirmations might not be working.
Firstly, if you are using off the shelf affirmation cards may sound too different to the language your kids would use with themselves. The language used on cards can be too elaborate for children to easily absorb.
Secondly, positive affirmations need to be personalised in order for them to work. They need to reflect your child’s individual strengths and qualities!
Thirdly, it might be that the positive affirmation is too optimistic. It is hard for your child to go from believing the negative affirmation to believing this super positive affirmation.
If your child thinks: “I’m stupid,” and the affirmation card says, “I’m very clever.”
Or “Nobody likes me,” and the card says, “Everybody likes me.”
The two opposing statements are too far away from each other to be believable.
How do I create positive affirmation that works for my kids?
- Encourage your child to write their own Positive Affirmations with a NEUTRAL Affirmation statement first, before moving to a positive one.
- Start with a NEUTRAL Affirmation statement. This is a statement which is true, but isn’t too positive or negative. For example, “I can do this,” or “I am trying my best.
- Thinking about what your child loves most about themselves- their personality traits, strengths or interests. Once you have some ideas, turn these positive statements into personalised positive affirmations.
For example, if your child loves animals, you could say:
“I love the way I am so kind to animals” or “I’m great at looking after pets.”
You can use our Superpower Kids Positive Affirmation printable to help your child create affirmations they believe in.
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