Winter’s lack of sustained direct sunlight, combined with the height of flu season, can often lead to grumpy attitudes within our children. Establishing a habit of practicing positivity each day is a wonderful antidote to offset the winter blues.
While many resources exist to help children see the bright side of situations, the article "7 Activities to Help Your Child Develop a Positive Attitude" provides a clear, simple, and manageable overview. These seven activities include:
- Loving kindness meditation (sending positive thought or prayer to a loved one)
- Help others (yard work for elderly, donate toys to a charity)
- Record awe moments (journal to draw or note a beautiful moment of the day)
- Set and achieve goals
- Share positivity (share your positives from your day with your child)
- Develop new skills/try new activities (may be individual to your child’s interest, or something that you enjoy doing together)
- Practice positive affirmations (I am joyful….etc.)
Read the article for more detail about the seven activities.
One of the most significant things we can do to improve a sense of joy and optimism in our children is to teach them the practice of expressing gratitude each day. Teaching children to recognize the things that they appreciate about others or within their environments is proven to elevate mood, according a growing body of research. Additionally, teaching children to commit intentional acts of kindness each day can greatly increase their sense of well-being. Even doing something as small as folding the towels in a basket of laundry, or taking the dog for an extra walk, or writing a thank you note to a family member can shift negative thinking into a positive mood. It could be fun to brainstorm as a family and establish a daily routine of practicing positivity!