Wow! You are an amazing parent or caregiver because of all you do and the fact that you clicked on this topic shows you hope to inspire your children to live fulfilling & intentional lives!
Self-Image: Kids can use affirmations to remind themselves of their strengths and values to boost self confidence.
A STRENGTH JAR OR STRENGTH CARD are fun crafts to remind ourselves of how amazing we are in times of stress or insecurity. STRENGTH JAR: Using any container, collect strips of paper with personal affirmations or positive statements about yourself. STRENGTH CARD: Either a piece of paper to display on your wall or a small index card to carry around are great options. Get creative! Make it beautiful! Write your name in large, colorful letters and draw pictures that make you happy and remind you of your inner joy. Now list those same types of affirmations or self-image boosters!
Gratitude: Add a practice each morning or night of expressing gratitude for things or events from their day. A GRATITUDE JAR is a fun way to collect reminders of gratitude statements. Decorate any container to hold your reminders. Mason jars, plastic cups, small boxes are great options. Cut up colorful strips of paper and start writing all that your family is grateful for! Now you can periodically ask members of your family to contribute statements or pull out reminders when needed!
Journalling: Writing how you feel is an amazing way to keep your positivity flowing. Even if we write about stressful experiences, it can lead us to a peaceful mind and ideas to shift our perspective. Journal Ideas Remember younger children can draw if writing is still developing.
Service To Others: Giving to others and making a difference in someone else’s life builds a foundation for inner joy and self-love. Have your child write a Thank-you note to someone who will least expect it! Or have them use one of their strengths to brighten someone's day! Examples would be artists can draw a picture for someone they love or a dancer could teach a friend or sibling some dance moves! Then try writing or drawing about the experience and the joy both of you experienced!
Meditation: Creating vision boards & practicing meditation helps prepare the mind with goals & action steps. See easy meditation tips for kids here. There are apps for creating computer generated vision boards, but doing a hands-on vision board is also fun as a family! You can have theme boards like individual goals, family trip ideas, and wish lists. Family Vision Board Example.
Jump Into Joy Workshops are a great way to engage your children in these strategies! I offer both on-line and soon In-person at Kidzone! You can also download all 5 workbooks with the Parent Guide HALF PRICE HERE to explore at home.
My absolute fave is engaging in a daily gratitude practice! I am still filling my journal with entries everyday. It's such a helpful practice to incorporate into a busy life. Love the adaptation for youngsters, to draw things they're grateful for!