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Most parents are aware of how vital it is to show their children love, encouragement, and support, but they also know how important it is for their children to develop all these within themselves. It is very encouraging for kids to develop positive attitudes and beliefs because this helps them accept failure appropriately and be unbreakable against other people’s judgments and criticisms.
As our kids acquire behaviors and teach their brains, affirmations are very powerful tools that help them nurture self-belief in their childhood years, which will linger with them throughout their whole lives. All of us create our belief systems about who we are and how we see the world from our perspective. Our family, friends, significant others, the magazines that we read, and the shows that we watch can cause either damage or help us become better versions of ourselves.
Affirmations are an inspiring and enriching way of establishing a positive attitude and raising happy and respectful children – children who know how to nurture their inner selves and enjoy the wonders of their childhood. Thus, an affirmation means to assert oneself. These are positive and enlightening words that the mind cultivates to develop one’s belief systems. When these affirmations for mental health are learned and practiced, they take effect when the belief is challenged.
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For instance, if your affirmation is “I am beautiful the way I am,” and somebody calls you dumb and ugly, your affirmation will come up to remind you of it. The positive result would be to think, “I am not dumb and ugly. I am beautiful.” If your child has not learned that positive belief, then he might just consider what he heard and believe that he is indeed dumb and ugly. The more these affirmations are practiced and repeated, the stronger they become.
How to Introduce Affirmations
Talking to your kids about utilizing affirmations is a very good decision for parents. This will help them understand what they’re for and how to do them properly. Try to keep the practice as interesting and uplifting as possible. Tell them that affirmations help you learn to think positively. They inspire you to believe in yourself and to control your temper when you feel sad, grumpy, or angry. Or perhaps you can say it like this: “Let’s try to practice thinking happy thoughts. If you keep doing them routinely, you’re going to remember them and use them to your advantage.”
Another means of introducing affirmations to your kids is to use affirmation cards. You can place these cards in different parts of your home, particularly in areas where they are most visible. Simply reading them will stimulate their minds to remember them. Their bathroom mirrors, the door of the fridge, or their study tables are areas where you can place these affirmation cards. Additionally, it would be a great reinforcement if you lead by example and recite positive beliefs as well. You can say these with them or recite them by yourself so that they are encouraged to it themselves. Ultimately, working on these affirmations as a family is the best first and the last step that would help all of you succeed in your journey towards personal development.
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How Affirmations Can Be Effective
Self-talk. One of the essential lessons that affirmations provide is learning to be confident with talking to yourself in front of the mirror. When you talk with love, respect, and kindness to yourself, you instill more goodness in your heart and mind. A lot of people still find it difficult to look at their reflection in the mirror and compliment what they see. Positive affirmations practically help build your self-image without anybody’s help but yourself. Try saying good words about the reflection that you see in the mirror and say them out loud. When you regularly do this, it becomes more comfortable, and you begin to feel good about yourself as you slowly believe and instill the positive words that you are affirming for yourself.
Most children find this method daunting and awkward at first, and you may need to show them and then do it with them in the first few weeks for them to feel more comfortable. If they don’t want to do it, don’t force them. Affirmations should be helpful and encouraging and not something to be feared and dreaded.
Repetition. When affirmations are recited regularly, they become more ingrained into the mind, and that is when they become very effective. Experts say that saying these phrases aloud three times will boost one’s self-esteem each time. This further affirms a person’s belief. You may want to try working on it with your child once or twice a week initially, depending on how your child will feel with every affirmation. If there is a phrase that he is struggling with more, spend more time on it.
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Conclusion
These affirmations take time and some effort, so you should discuss it with your child to get a better perspective of how he feels and his level of interest. You could make a list of your child’s positive qualities to help him kick-start his journey towards becoming the best version of himself. Positive affirmations must always be initiated in a fun, relaxed, and natural way. Use them to encourage your children to love and respect themselves the way they should be.