How to Model Optimism for a Child

It's a fact of life. An optimistic person will go further in life than a pessimistic person. The power of positive thinking unlocks creative potential and attracts like-minded, successful people. This leads to opportunity. You can give your children a good start in life by teaching this important lesson. Make an effort to model optimism for your children every day.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Teach your children that the glass is half full. There is opportunity in every obstacle. For example, did the little league game get rained out? If so, then the team gets extra time to practice. When your children have setbacks, point out the positive possibilities. They're always there, but take creative thinking to see.
2. Keep the negatives away from your children. Derogatory music and television programs, rag magazines and even legitimate news programs and papers can add a negative element of pessimism to your home. Keep them all to a minimum. This step requires commitment to change, but the optimistic lift in your home will be well worth the inconvenience.
3. Walk the walk. It's not enough to tell your children that they can't listen to negative music or watch certain programming on television. You must keep your own entertainment in check as well to tap the power of positive thinking.
4. Hold your tongue. A person with optimism tries not to spew negativity. If your children witness you holding your temper in check, they are more likely to do the same. Teach your children that words can be very harmful and that with some consideration, they may not want to unleash them in a tirade. Weighing your words is one of the most important ways to model optimism to a child.
5. Make plans. Long range plans, short range plans, vacation plans—any plans. Discuss the future with your family with certainty. Plans give the family a common goal to look forward to and breed an air of optimism in your home. Even if a plan doesn't come to fruition, you can reschedule, alter or abandon plans for something even better. Dreaming together is the best way parents can model optimism for their children.