Helping Kids Create a Positive Mindset
Having a positive mindset is a game changer when it comes to difficult situations. I think creating this type of mindset early on in children can only set them up for success, allow for calmer decision-making skills, and a better acceptance to change. Life has many curve balls for you, no matter the plan you have for yourself. As kids navigate through these curve balls, big or small, creating a way to look at this in a positive light will give the whole experience a different meaning.
As an adult, I think there are situations we can look back at and think, if I had handled that differently the outcome would have been different. Or I could have really enjoyed that time instead of worrying about it or being mad about the things I couldn’t change. I teach my kids that we have a choice in how we want something to go. We always have two options. We can choose to be upset about something that didn’t go how we planned OR we can look at the situation, find the good in it and focus on that. When we talk about the good in a situation it tends to calm my kiddos down, and myself if I’m being perfectly honest, and the situation takes on a whole new light. It is all about having a positive mindset!
I wrote the book, The Great Big Move: A Surprisingly Exciting Adventure, with all of this in mind. Change is hard, scary, and uncomfortable but it can also be exciting, adventurous and really great! When change in the form of moving is a frequent occurrence, it is so important to embrace all that comes with it in order to take in all of the good it has to offer. Being sad and upset is absolutely OK, too.
Situational Positivity
Having positive mindset about a situation does not mean you aren’t allowed to experience the other side of the emotions. I stress to my kids that they can absolutely be sad about a situation, it is so important to run through all of the emotions and express them. I think if you find that silver lining and make that your main focus after letting out the tears or fears, that is what will help lead to a healthy expression of these emotions. But you can give a safety net of positivity to fall back on and help bounce you back up!
In my book, Katie Harlow does just that when she finds out she is going to move for a third time. She remembers all of the things she has missed from her previous moves and how she felt sad when she left all of it. Katie then thinks about all of the things she will miss when she moves from where she is now. She quickly realizes that if she hadn’t experienced these previous moves, she would have never discovered all of the fun things she has in her life now at her current home.
Katie sees that each move has given her amazing friends and experiences that she won’t lose when she leaves them, but she is able to put those memories in her treasure chest that she will have forever and can develop great ways to keep-in-touch. She then becomes super excited for all of the new discoveries she will make next.
Surprisingly Exciting Adventures
I call these kind of adventures ‘Surprisingly Exciting Adventures’! Those are the best kind, aren’t they? When you are in a moment that isn’t what you had planned or didn’t know was coming, and all of a sudden you are presented with all of these wonderful things you had no idea you were missing out on!
For me a lot of times those ‘things’ aren’t actually things at all but come in the form of gratefulness, patience, a positive outlook, understanding, joy, friends, memories, laughter and so many more! I think there is nothing better than teaching our kids to have this type of attitude. This world is full of change, and if we can give our kids the foundation of looking at situations with a positive perspective, just imagine what they can do with it!
Meghan is a mom to two girls, Karsyn (8) and Hartlyn (6) and has been married for 13 years. They are a former military family and are now embracing life on the civilian side! Her girls are her true inspiration for everything she writes and creates – from their adventures and imaginative play to the messages she tries to convey to them on a daily basis. Writing has been an amazing outlet for Meghan and she really hopes to help families have fun stories to read while creating a positive outlook and a mindset to make the best out of everything!
Visit www.meghanmariegeary.com to learn more about Meghan and get info about her upcoming books! Connect with Meghan on Facebook at Meghan Marie Geary-Author or on Instagram @meghan.m.geary
Order your copy of Meghan Marie Geary’s book, The Great Big Move: A Surprisingly Exciting Adventure today!
Read how Meghan went from Mom with an Idea to a published author!
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