Is your child quick to give up or hard on themselves when they fail? Changing one’s mindset from negative to positive can be a challenge. Children who are optimists are able to better deal with life’s challenges and are happier. Everyone wants their child to succeed in life, but raising a child with that positive outlook on life can be hard. Take a look at these tips to see how you can encourage your little one to look at life positively.

• Create a can-do environment
  • Set expectations for your child and watch them meet those goals. A simple daily to-do list will work wonders. When your child knows they need to get dressed, make their bed, and brush their teeth every morning, they will show excitement when they complete their manageable tasks. Proving that they can do something themselves, contributes to their overall optimistic feelings. Make sure expectations are age-appropriate, as in giving them a challenge but not setting them up to fail.
• Power through challenges
  • Do you hear your child get frustrated when they are trying something new? “I’ll never be able to do this!” or “I’m just not good at it!” are frequent phrases in most households. Children will grow frustrated from time to time and it is important to help them power through those challenges. Once they realize they can do it, their attitude will change. Validate their feelings without giving them false hope. It is easy to let them know that what they are doing is hard, and then try changing their perspective: “I know you can’t do it right now, but you will be able to with practice” or “I had a hard time when I first started”. These comments will help your child see the challenge in a new light so they can give it another go.
• Don’t focus on the bad
  • It’s easy to complain about being late because it took everyone too long to get out of the house or because that person cut you off on the road. Children start to pick up on those negative sentiments and begin to mimic a pessimistic attitude. Avoid complaining as much as possible around your child and when you do complain, turn it into a positive learning exercise. Play the “Peaks and Valleys” game around the dinner table. Each person will take turns discussing one valley (negative moment) and one peak (positive moment) for the day. Thinking of the positive “peak” of the day will change your child’s outlook on their day and realize that those negative moments were not as bad as they thought.

At Crème de la Crème, we strive to create a can-do environment by providing our students with daily expectations that are age-appropriate. Our teachers are there to support your child through things they find challenging and encourage a positive attitude when they are struggling