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It is often said that positive words hold power to change the world. Similarly, positive affirmations for kids can help change their mindset and personalities for the better. Affirmations are the mantras or phrases you say to feel more confident and believe in yourself. Introducing your children to affirmations filled with optimism will help them shape their lives for good, cultivate self-belief, and foster a positive outlook. This practice also contributes to improving their self-respect and mental health. Read on for a list of thoughtful affirmations that you can share with your little ones.
Benefits Of Using Positive Affirmations For Kids
Children are like clay. You can mold them in the way you wish them to be. Positive affirmations compel the brain to think differently, which, in turn, brings about positive changes in the child. They provide encouragement, fostering a sense of belief and motivation within them. The following are a few benefits of using positive affirmations (1) (2).
1. Strengthens the mind: When a child intentionally trains the mind to think positively, it makes the brain sharper and stronger.
2. Builds confidence: It helps boost the child’s confidence and encourages positive self-talk in kids.
3. Offers emotional stability: Positive affirmations help children control overwhelming feelings such as sadness, fear, anger, and confusion.
4. Turns the day around: The more positively the child thinks, the better they feel, thus affecting how their day turns out.
5. Tackles bullying: Often, children who bully have low confidence levels and self-esteem. Children who think positive thoughts are less likely to bully others.
6. Helps learn from mistakes: Positive affirmations help the child realize that mistakes provide us with an opportunity to learn from them.
7. Helps handle failure: Training the mind to think positively can encourage children to take chances and not fear failures.
8. Tosses stress away: Children who practice affirmations are more confident and less inclined to be stressed
9. Improves problem-solving: A study published in Plos One suggests that self-affirmation can help protect a person against the damaging effects of stress on problem-solving performance.
How To Use Positive Affirmations With Kids?
It is essential to understand that affirmations work best when they are practiced and repeated consistently.
Therefore, it is necessary that you make your child practice them at home. These guidelines will make it easier for you to use positive affirmations with children.
1. Identify the negative thoughts that you want your child to overcome and think of ways to change this thought process.
2. Turn positive thoughts into affirmations that your child can repeat every day. Try being creative in the way you put them down or express them.
3. Get your child to say these affirmations aloud, preferably while standing in front of a mirror.
4. Try practicing these affirmations while looking into each other’s eyes. This has a calming effect on children, and they will learn to say the affirmations confidently and also believe in them.
5. Keep the affirmations positive and use positive words that register in the mind quickly. Instead of saying “I am not a bad dancer,” let them say, “I am a good dancer.”
6. Use only the present tense while writing affirmations.
7. Keep them crisp and short so that your child will remember them easily.
8. While you can assist them, it is necessary that children decide for themselves what affirmations they want to create.
9. Creating personalized affirmations can have a stronger impact on your child. Help them identify their strengths and dreams, and guide them in writing affirmations that reflect those qualities. To make it more fun, use colorful paper or stickers to write them together!
135 Positive Affirmations For Kids
Now that you are armed with the basic guidelines on how to let your child come up with positive affirmations, have a look at this long list and come up with similar positive affirmations.
Positive Affirmations To Build Confidence
1. I am oozing confidence today.
2. I can do everything I set my heart on.
3. I always try to do my best.
4. I have the confidence to be myself.
5. I am gifted with rare intelligence.
6. I can take up any challenge.
7. I compete only with myself.
8. I keep going even when I struggle.
Point to consider9. I practice until I am perfect at what I do.
10. I am smart and capable. I am capable of self-acceptance and embracing who I am.
11. I always make good decisions.
12. I work efficiently, and so everything works right for me.
13. My confidence is contagious.
14. I love learning new things.
15. Rarely do people need to repeat things to me.
16. I am happy with the choices I make.
17. I deserve all the love and happiness I get.
18. I have the power within me to overcome problems.
Positive Affirmations To Increase Self-Love
19. I am a unicorn—one of its kind.
20. I am the brightest version of myself. I prioritize self-care to nourish my mind, body, and soul.
21. I came into the world with a purpose.
22. I make good choices.
23. There can be no other person like me in this world.
24. I have the ability to make my own rules and stick to them.
25. Everybody around me loves me deeply.
26. I am proud of what I do and achieve.
27. I am the best judge of my abilities.
28. I believe in what I am.
29. I do not believe in criticizing myself.
30. I have great inner strength and beauty.
31. My struggles make me stronger.
32. It is okay not to be great at everything.
Positive Affirmations To Teach Healthy Boundaries
33. It is perfectly okay to say “no” when I feel uncomfortable.
34. I ask for help when I feel unsafe.
35. I own my body, and nobody else can control it.
36. I love to be with people who make me feel safe and comfortable.
37. I respect people’s boundaries.
38. I refuse to stay at a place where I don’t feel safe.
39. I am always assertive when I say “no.”
40. I speak out when a touch feels unsafe or bad.
41. I always speak up when I see someone being ill-treated.
42. I always listen to my inner voice. It never goes wrong in guiding me towards good.
Positive Affirmations To Motivate Kids
43. I always work hard to achieve my targets.
44. I am positive that I can handle difficult situations and challenges.
45. I always push myself harder.
46. I achieve all the goals I set.
47. It is okay to take a break and get back. It helps me look at things with a fresh mind.
48. I have the capability of becoming a leader.
49. Once I start, I ensure I complete the task.
50. I have everything I need to achieve my dreams.
51. I will sail through the toughest of situations.
52. Good things are bound to come my way.
53. Every day is a fresh start for something new.
Positive Affirmations To Instill Kindness
54. I can be forgiving even in the most challenging situations.
55. I have been raised to be kind to others.
56. The kindness I show towards people will come back to me later.
57. My words have the ability to soothe others.
58. I believe in spreading joy. I express gratitude for the kindness and generosity I encounter, and I strive to pay it forward.
59. I have been trained to speak and treat my fellow beings respectfully.
60. I often do things for others when they least expect it.
61. I always try to understand how people feel and think.
62. I know the importance of self-compassion.
63. I ensure that my actions are always based on love and care for others.
64. I am always in the frontline when help is needed.
65. I am blessed to be of service to others who need me.
Positive Affirmations To Build Resilience
66. I believe in never giving up on myself.
67. I believe that perseverance conquers all.
68. When life gives me lemons, I make lemonade.
69. Mistakes allow me to learn something new.
70. Life will be boring if there are no challenges to overcome.
71. I have it within me to turn the tide in my favor.
Did you know?72. What I believe in is more important than what others think I am capable of.
73. The question isn’t who lets me; it is who can stop me!
74. Even the best have had to make a start somewhere.
75. It doesn’t matter if I fall. I will get up and try until I succeed.
Positive Affirmations For Peace And Calm
76. I am at peace with myself and the world.
77. I find peace when I forgive others.
78. I have the power to control my feelings.
79. I remain calm even in the most stressful situations.
80. I am entitled to my quiet time.
81. I do not cling to the past. It helps me face my present better.
82. I keep discovering new ways to keep my mind calm and peaceful.
83. I am sure the universe has some amazing things planned for me.
84. Disagreements do not affect me.
85. I am in tune with this moment.
86. I leave my worries to the wind.
87. I am grateful for the love, health, and happiness that I am showered with.
89. I am happy with the opportunities that I am provided.
Positive Affirmations That Honor Emotions
90. It is not weak to show emotions.
91. I always listen to what my feelings tell me.
92. I do not hold hard feelings against anyone.
93. When I cry, I show my inner strength, not my weakness.
94. I revel in others’ happiness.
95. It is perfectly fine not to be okay with something.
96. I have the power to express how I feel.
97. I respect my feelings and those of others. They help me learn about myself.
Affirmations To Help Kids Become Good Friends
98. I am friendly by nature and like making friends.
99. I believe in treating others the same way I want them to treat me.
100. My actions speak volumes about how I value friendship.
101. I have always learned something good from my friends.
102. I have built trust with my honest and kind nature.
Research finds103. I am always available for my friends when they need me.
104. I am totally relaxed when I am with my friends.
105. My friends believe I am a good listener.
106. My friends are my greatest strength.
Affirmations For A Positive Body Image
107. I see myself as God sees me—a beautiful creation.
108. I always start with where I am and what I have. I am enough!
109. No one can make me feel inferior.
110. I am in love with my body.
111. I consider myself brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous. I am!
112. I always appreciate the wonderful things that my body is capable of doing.
113. I have a strong, healthy, and beautiful body.
114. My character defines me more than my looks.
115. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
116. I take good care of my body, and it reflects in my attitude.
117. There are no imperfections in my body.
118. My body is God’s temple.
Positive Affirmations To Cultivate Bravery
119. My determination is what sets me apart from others.
120. I hardly get scared of difficulties around me.
121. I am fearless in my pursuit of a fulfilling life.
122. I believe that no task is too big.
123. My courage is what helps me overcome difficult situations.
124. I earn respect for the bold decisions I make.
125. I always approach challenges with an open mind.
Positive Affirmations For Creative Expression
126. I always welcome new ideas that my brain generates.
127. Creativity is the way I share my mind with the world.
128. We are all unique in our creative abilities.
129. I always improvise on my creative talents.
130. My creativity helps me come up with unique solutions.
131. I love the idea of having more time to explore my creative talents.
132. My imaginative power is what I consider to be a gift.
133. I am at my best when I create something new.
134. I do not need any person’s permission to lead a creative life.
135. Creativity is the food for my soul.
Illustration: Positive Affirmations For Kids To Boost Their Confidence
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How often should kids use positive affirmations?
Repeating may make affirmations more effective. You may begin by practicing affirmations for three to five minutes daily. Repeat each affirmation ten times and say it louder and more confidently as you keep repeating.
2. When should kids start affirmations?
You could introduce your children to positive words of encouragement for kids as soon as they start to talk and understand language. Also, when used around five to six years, affirmations can significantly impact a child’s strong and healthy foundation.
3. Can positive affirmations help kids with their academic performance?
Studies show that affirmations may help kids perform better in academics. This may be achieved through improved self-confidence and overall improvement of executive functioning (4) (5)
4. What are some fun activities to make affirmations more engaging for kids?
You can make affirmations fun by making flashcards with positive phrases, turning affirmations into catchy songs or rhymes, or creating a daily affirmation jar where kids pick one affirmation every day.
Positive affirmations boost an individual’s self-worth and self-confidence and also help keep negative thoughts and emotions at bay. Positive affirmations for kids act as a source of motivation and benefit all children, especially those struggling to handle their emotions. Positive affirmations play an instrumental role in helping build self-esteem in children. They also help children concentrate on achieving their goals in life and overcoming their fears and negative thought patterns. In addition, these affirmations will help your kids to grow up to be fine individuals who handle the usual vices of society, such as bullying, negativity, and negative judgment.
Infographic: Positive Affirmation Activities For Children
Positivity is one of the most essential traits to teach children for a happy and successful life ahead. It can pave the path to a positive mindset, which lasts a lifetime.
Check out this infographic and save it to help your children become positive and confident individuals in a fun and exciting manner. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Positive affirmations help teach children to be confident, believe in their abilities, and motivate themselves.
- They also teach children emotional regulation and how to handle stressful situations and cope with failure.
- You can teach your kids to recognize their negative thoughts and tailor mantras and affirmations to help combat those thoughts.
- Show them how to use positive language for their affirmations, stressing on what they can do instead of what they cannot do.
- Short and easy-to-remember affirmations can help kids love themselves and keep anxieties away.
Start your day off right with these 10 positive affirmations for kids! Boost your child’s confidence and self-esteem with these uplifting words of encouragement.
References
1.J. David Creswell et al.; Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress; Plos One (2013).
2. 4 Benefits of Positive Affirmations;HeadWay Clinic
3. Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation; Academic.oup
4.Philine S. Harris et al.; Self-affirmation improves performance on tasks related to executive functioning; Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (2017).
5.Beng Huat See et al.; A conceptual replication study of a self-affirmation intervention to improve the academic achievement of low-income pupils in England; Educational Research and Evaluation (2022).
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