{"id":182673,"date":"2024-12-12T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/?p=182673"},"modified":"2024-12-12T18:32:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T18:32:29","slug":"positive-affirmations-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/positive-affirmations-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Positive affirmations for kids to celebrate and boost self-identity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>These days, many parents and caregivers make an intentional effort to raise confident children with a healthy sense of self. Fostering positive self-esteem from an early age has many benefits, like helping kids learn to value their skills and persist during hard times; however, it can be challenging to know how to support these efforts.&nbsp;One strategy that&rsquo;s flexible and useful across different age groups is practicing positive affirmations.<\/p><p>&ldquo;Positive affirmations for kids can be used to support a child&rsquo;s development, increase their core beliefs, create a positive mindset and improve self-worth,&rdquo; says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anniescreativecounseling.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grace Tucker<\/a>, a child therapist and education consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina. If you&rsquo;re a parent or caregiver hoping to use affirmations, read on for expert tips on how to introduce them and a helpful list of positive affirmations for kids.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-positive-affirmations-for-kids\">What are positive affirmations for kids?<\/h2><p>Positive affirmations are sayings we can use to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/ways-to-build-confidence-in-kids\/\">build confidence<\/a>, shift our mindsets in hard times and cope with heavy feelings, like self-doubt and fear. Tucker says self-affirmation has been linked to lower stress and improved performance. Affirmations can also be used to help kids:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Boost their sense of self.<\/li><li>Reinforce routines and behavior changes.<\/li><li>Feel supported under stress.<\/li><\/ul><p>Affirmations have a long, ancient history, Tucker adds. &ldquo;[Historically], we learned that we could cultivate a positive mindset by utilizing positive thinking,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;Today, we see affirmations integrated everywhere, from therapy to children&rsquo;s media, self-help podcasts and even in work culture.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-27-positive-affirmations-for-kids\">27 positive affirmations for kids<\/h2><p>Tuckers says affirmations can be incorporated into daily routines and to be proactive about preparing kids for upcoming challenges. It&rsquo;s helpful if you keep several things in mind when introducing positive affirmations to kids:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Know what goal or shift you&rsquo;d like to support the child through.<\/li><li>Confirm that your vision for them is congruent with their vision for themself.<\/li><li>Keep the affirmations simple.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul><p>Here are some different positive affirmations for kids to help you get started:<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-morning-positive-affirmations-for-kids\">Morning positive affirmations for kids<\/h3><p>&ldquo;&lsquo;Filling your tank&rsquo; in the morning is a great way to be sure kids have enough &lsquo;fuel&rsquo; to get through the day,&rdquo; Tucker says. &ldquo;You can utilize visuals like writing affirmations on the bathroom mirror, using a card deck, books or even songs.&rdquo; Choose a morning affirmation for kids to try:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I am strong and determined.<\/li><li>I choose my attitude.<\/li><li>I can do hard things.<\/li><li>Today is going to be a great day.<\/li><li>It&rsquo;s OK to make mistakes.<\/li><li>I am ready to learn.<\/li><\/ul><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-am-affirmations\">&ldquo;I am&rdquo; affirmations<\/h3><p>Tucker recommends &ldquo;I am&rdquo; affirmations for when kids experience self-identity concerns, like feeling that they give up easily or that they aren&rsquo;t a good friend. These include:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I am committed.<\/li><li>I am a good friend.&nbsp;<\/li><li>I am worthy.<\/li><li>I am brave.<\/li><li>I am capable.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-care-com-resources wp-block-embed-care-com-resources\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"nQJclBLkAE\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/social-and-emotional-learning-activities-for-kids\/\">9 social and emotional learning activities to help kids thrive<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&ldquo;9 social and emotional learning activities to help kids thrive&rdquo; &mdash; Care.com Resources\" src=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/social-and-emotional-learning-activities-for-kids\/embed\/#?secret=hTg7YAwgjL#?secret=nQJclBLkAE\" data-secret=\"nQJclBLkAE\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-can-affirmations\">&ldquo;I can&rdquo; affirmations<\/h3><p>If kids experience concerns about their ability to achieve something, like riding their bike or advocating for themselves, Tucker says to try an &ldquo;I can&rdquo; affirmation:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I can ride a bike.<\/li><li>I can speak up for myself.<\/li><li>I can do all things with hard work.<\/li><li>I can rest, recharge and keep working towards my goals.<\/li><li>I can ask for help when I need it.<\/li><li>I can revamp and walk away.<\/li><\/ul><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-positive-identity-affirmation-for-kids\">Positive identity affirmation for kids<\/h3><p>Use the following affirmations to help celebrate who kids are and affirm their identities, core values and self-worth: <\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I am Black\/neurodivergent\/Latinx\/disabled\/etc. and proud.<\/li><li>I love my hair\/skin\/culture\/body.<\/li><li>My differences make me, me.<\/li><li>I accept myself for who I am.<\/li><li>There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with being different.<\/li><li>I am beautiful just as I am.<\/li><li>My culture\/brain differences\/language\/skin help me see the world differently, and it adds to who I am.<\/li><li>My perspectives matter.<\/li><li>Big feelings aren&rsquo;t bad things.<\/li><li>I don&rsquo;t have to change to be worthy.<\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-do-positive-affirmations-work\">Do positive affirmations work?<\/h2><p>Experts say the usefulness of affirmations is based on the brain&rsquo;s ability to adapt to new patterns, also called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.01657\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">neuroplasticity<\/a>, and their effectiveness is based on repetition. Research shows that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0165032718305032?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">repetitive negative thinking<\/a> is a predictor of anxiety and depression. Similarly, Tucker<strong> <\/strong>says past research about positive thinking and <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0035173\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">positive self-talk<\/a> shows some positive impact of repeated affirmations on mental wellness.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&ldquo;If I think, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going to score a goal,&rsquo; I will feel<em> <\/em>excited and motivated about scoring the goal, and I will behave<em> <\/em>in a way that increases the likelihood of scoring a goal.&rdquo;<\/p><cite>&mdash; Grace Tucker, child therapist<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure><p>Affirmations aren&rsquo;t always effective, though. One <a href=\"https:\/\/acrobat.adobe.com\/link\/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:3153217e-d78a-36ae-8834-11d2a8947c2d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2021 study<\/a> did not find a correlation between students saying positive affirmations and improvement in their moods, notes Tucker. However, positive self-talk has been associated with:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Reduced<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/87567555.2019.1680522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> public speaking anxiety<\/a> for students.<\/li><li>Increased <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7429435\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">motivation and dedication<\/a> for athletes.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Greater <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24467424\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regulation<\/a> of thoughts, feelings and behavior.<\/li><\/ul><p>&ldquo;Cognitive behavioral therapy tells us that our thoughts, feelings and behavior are all deeply correlated,&rdquo; Tucker says. &ldquo;Therefore, if I think, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going to score a goal,&rsquo; I will feel<em> <\/em>excited and motivated about scoring the goal, and I will behave<em> <\/em>in a way that increases the likelihood of scoring a goal &mdash; asking for the ball, positioning myself to score or taking a shot at the goal. Conversely, the same is true.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-use-positive-affirmation-for-kids\">How to use positive affirmation for kids<\/h2><p>Affirmations aren&rsquo;t a fix-all solution for preventing negative thinking. It&rsquo;s also crucial to teach youth to affirm their circumstances honestly. Further, affirmations are not a suitable replacement when young people need therapy or medication support to manage neurodiversity or mental health concerns like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/how-to-help-kids-with-anxiety\/\">anxiety or depression<\/a>.<\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s how experts say you can use positive affirmations properly, and a few things to keep in mind when using them with kids:<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-combine-them-with-a-healthy-lifestyle\">1. Combine them with a healthy lifestyle<\/h3><p>Affirmations should be used in conjunction with other positive behaviors, like getting enough sleep and establishing healthy routines. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/02699931.2023.2224957\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023 study<\/a> found fragmented sleep makes it harder to control emotions and easier to fixate on negative ideas. Affirmations can complement self-care and health behaviors, but they can&rsquo;t replace them.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-support-self-esteem-in-multiple-ways\">2. Support self-esteem in multiple ways<\/h3><p>Positive self-talk works best when it&rsquo;s a part of a more extensive self-esteem practice. Other ways to build children&rsquo;s self-esteem include:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Listening to and acknowledging their thoughts and feelings.<\/li><li>Modeling positive self-talk and self-image.<\/li><li>Offering clear expectations and support during challenges.<\/li><li>Allowing them to make decisions for themselves when possible.<\/li><\/ul><figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not enough to just tell yourself, &lsquo;I can do hard things.&rsquo;<em> <\/em>We have to do the hard thing.&rdquo;<\/p><cite>&mdash; Grace Tucker<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-don-t-just-affirm-act\">3. Don&rsquo;t just affirm, act<\/h3><p>Affirmations require action to be effective, Tucker says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not enough to just tell yourself, &lsquo;I can do hard things.&rsquo;<em> <\/em>We have to do the hard thing<em>,&rdquo;<\/em> she explains.<em> &ldquo;<\/em>This is where the magic happens: a thought becomes a belief<strong><em> <\/em><\/strong>because we reinforce that thought with action.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Tucker advises collaborating with kids so they not only think more positively, but also take action to reinforce those thoughts. This will help their belief in themselves continue to grow.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-lead-with-empathy\">4. Lead with empathy<\/h3><p>Affirmations can feel invalidating if misused, so it&rsquo;s important to still acknowledge kids&rsquo; feelings and struggles, Tucker says. &ldquo;For example, if a child says math is hard, don&rsquo;t immediately reply, &lsquo;You can do hard things,&rsquo;&rdquo; she explains. <\/p><p>You want to acknowledge the child&rsquo;s feelings with empathy, affirm them and then problem-solve.&rdquo; Instead, she adds, you might respond with: &ldquo;I know this is difficult, but<strong> <\/strong>you can do hard things. Let&rsquo;s figure out how.&rdquo;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-make-positive-affirmations-a-fun-routine\">5. Make positive affirmations a fun routine<\/h3><p><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/nyu.edu\/the-homeplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Lauren Mims<\/a>, an assistant professor of applied psychology at New York University, encourages parents and caregivers to affirm kids in ways that align with what they&rsquo;re already doing. &ldquo;Messages of affirmation can be embedded right into your daily routines,&rdquo; she says.&nbsp;<\/p><p>Mims points to the following as simple ways for parents and caregivers to affirm kids:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>During dinner, share what you like or love about each person.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Make a happy music playlist and squeeze in a nightly dance party.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Choose an affirming song and sing it proudly with a hairbrush or spoon microphone.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Read books with affirming characters, messages and storylines.<\/li><\/ul><p>Mims also suggests a call-and-response game during which kids have to choose something about themselves to celebrate. For example: &ldquo;My name is Lauren (Her name is Lauren), and I love how I try my best (Lauren tries her best). My name is Mom (Her name is Mom), and I love how strong I am (Mom is strong).&rdquo;<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve learned a lot about how messages of racial pride &hellip; or reciting affirmations with your child in the mirror about the beauty of their African American features and their cultural background helps children build strong, healthy identities.&rdquo;<\/p><cite>&mdash; Dr. Lauren Mims, assistant professor of applied psychology<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-affirm-difference\">6. Affirm difference<\/h3><p>Positive affirmations can be especially beneficial for children who belong to marginalized groups. Studies have found that Black and Latino students who completed <a href=\"https:\/\/ed.stanford.edu\/news\/self-affirmation-leads-academic-success-minority-students-stanford-scholars-find\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">self-affirming exercises<\/a> took on more challenging courses and were likelier to enroll in college. Mims says she and other Black psychologists have also examined benefits of positive ethnic-racial socialization &mdash; how parents and caregivers communicate about race &mdash; on children&rsquo;s mental health.&nbsp;<\/p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve learned a lot about how messages of racial pride &mdash; like saying, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m Black, and I&rsquo;m proud&rsquo; &mdash; or reciting affirmations with your child in front of the mirror about the beauty of their African American features and cultural background helps children build strong, healthy identities,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;We&rsquo; ha&rsquo;ve even found that it can buffer against the negative effects of racial discrimination.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-bottom-line-on-positive-affirmations-for-kids\">The bottom line on positive affirmations for kids<\/h2><p>It&rsquo;s important to know children are listening and learning from you and your presence matters, Mims concludes. <\/p><p>Affirmations can help children, tweens and teens develop a positive sense of self, find the courage to pursue new goals and challenge negative messages and thoughts.&nbsp;However, positive affirmations are not a fix-all solution for more profound concerns. Children still need emotional and mental health support during difficult times, and they still need guidance in establishing healthy behaviors and a sense of self. <\/p><p>&lsquo;When used along with emotional validation, consistency and a supportive lifestyle, positive affirmations are an excellent addition to any parent or caregiver&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/social-and-emotional-learning-for-children\/\">social emotional learning<\/a> toolkit.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Positive affirmations for kids can help boost self-esteem and affirm kids&#8217; identities. Here&#8217;s how to get the most out of these inspiring phrases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1267,"featured_media":182856,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":false,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"2024-12-12 18:00:00","last_update":"2024-12-12","view_count":2517,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"member-type":[4],"vertical":[6],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-182673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","member-type-all","vertical-children","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1267"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182673"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209435,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182673\/revisions\/209435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182673"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=182673"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=182673"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=182673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}