Positive Parenting: Raising Kids with Optimism
As a mom of 7 very individual kids, I have watched my children go through ups and downs in each of their lives. My youngest came up to me the other day. She seemed very defeated. She began telling me how awful she is at art. I began to reason with her, with how she is a better artist at her age than I was, then she went on to compare herself to other artists she looks up to. I asked her two questions. "How old are they?" and "How long have they been making art?" She proceeded to tell me the artists were probably in their 20's. She guessed that they've only been making art for 5 years. I took the time to tell her to not give up, they have just had more time in their practice. I asked who her favorite actor?/actress is. When she told me I told her about some of the actors past. About how they quit acting for a while. I asked her "If they had decided to completely quit, would they have played the character you love? Would they still be your favorite actor? She went back to her sketch book to keep practicing.
I know my story is about her not giving up but that is a part of being optimistic. Seeing the silver linings and rainbows in the storms life gives you. To have the strength and determination to push forward even when there isn't a clear path before them.
In a world that can sometimes feel hard or heavy, raising children with positivity is one of the best gifts we can give them. It’s not about shielding them from challenges, it’s about helping them see the light even when life gets cloudy. Positive parenting plants seeds of resilience, confidence, and kindness that grow throughout a child’s life.
Raising children with optimism allows the child to learn that mistakes are a learning opportunity. That love and kindness are a key to life with people and with themselves. To be grateful for the people, experiences and things in their life. That they are deserving of and are loved. To keep pursuing their goals and dreams.
Far too many adults in this world weren't taught such things, that's why mistakes are repeated, kindness isn't common, people don't see the good things in their life and therefore can't be grateful for them, don't think they deserve love, don't feel love, have given up on their own dreams for someone else's.
Intentionally raising your children with optimism, sets them up to be more open to opportunities, love and happiness in their life.
When you parent positively, you teach your child that:
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Mistakes are part of learning.
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Kindness is a strength, not a weakness.
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To be thankful
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They are loved exactly as they are.
Mindful Parenting Practices
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Take a few deep breaths together before starting the day.
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Spend device-free time doing something fun or creative.
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Listen to them without interrupting.
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End of the day gratitude practices.
Simple Ways to Raise Children with Positivity
1. Model the Energy You Want Them to Feel
Children absorb our moods and tone more than our words. Show them how to pause, breathe, and respond with calm, even when things don’t go as planned.
2. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results
Encourage your child’s growth mindset by focusing on their effort (“I love how hard you tried!”) instead of only outcomes (“You got an A!”). This helps them develop resilience and confidence. My kids are harder on themselves about their grade than I am and I often have to remind them that their grades do not define them.
3. Create Daily Gratitude Moments
Make gratitude a fun family ritual, sharing one thing everyone’s thankful for at dinner or before bed helps children notice the good around them.
4. Be An Emotional Safe Space
Let your child express all emotions freely, even the hard ones. Saying “It’s okay to feel upset” teaches acceptance and self-awareness.
5. Limit Negativity in Their Environment
Protect their emotional space by modeling kind communication at home. Children thrive in peaceful, encouraging environments.
I am not perfect. There is plenty of chaos in a home of 7 kids. Even still, I try to take what moments I can to encourage seeing something from a different perspective. To find the silver lining of the rain cloud. To see the break of dawn after a long dark night. To continue to pursue their goals and dreams, even when it feels too hard.
“children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded.”
I encourage you to try to implement some optimism and positivity into your child's daily life and even beyond that, your own. We teach by example, they learn from what we say and how we act.
Raising children with positivity isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. It’s showing up with love, patience, and belief in their potential, even on hard days. When we nurture positivity in our homes, we raise children who shine that same light into the world. With hope will give them a brighter future.
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