Inside: Ways to raise an optimistic child. Advertorial collaboration.
We tend to focus more on helping our children succeed at school than conditioning them mentally for coping with life, without realising that their happiness relies as much on their attitude to life as their educational achievements. It’s our job as parents to prepare our children for the world, and that includes giving them the tools they need to navigate its complexities and thrive mentally and emotionally, as well as academically. Helping them to develop a positive attitude to challenges and setbacks will enable them to face life with resilience. Here’s some tips from a private prep school in Surrey on how you can instil a sense of optimism in your child.
Limit negativity
It’s hard not to focus on the negative aspects of losing out on something, but we can help our children bounce back from setbacks by encouraging them to find the silver linings when things don’t go their way. If they’re facing disappointment, ask them to flip the situation on its head and identify the positives – they should be able to find at least one.
Help them recognise the learning opportunities in failure and highlight the multiple possibilities open to them in the future so they learn not to dwell on disappointment for too long.
Model positivity
Children learn a lot from watching how their parents react to situations, so it’s important to be mindful of what our children might learn from watching us. Try to tackle obstacles with a positive mindset and let your child see that, and reframe negatives into positives where possible. It’s okay to express disappointment or frustration, but ask your child to help you find the benefits of challenging situations.
Encourage new experiences
Help your child experience new things and step outside of their comfort zone on a regular basis. Through doing this they realise that life is full of possibility and opportunity, so if one thing doesn’t work out there’s always another option.
Frequently tackling new activities and expanding their capabilities boosts children’s self-esteem while broadening their perspective on the world, including their ability to approach hurdles and setbacks with an optimistic mindset.
Practise gratitude
Prompt your child to recognise and give thanks for the positive things in their life as much as possible. This will encourage them to be happy with what they do have rather than lamenting what they don’t have.
Helping your child develop an optimistic attitude to life will stand them in good stead as they face the inevitable challenges that come with growing and maturing.