Developing positive thinking is another way to say developing positive mental health. What exactly is Mental Health and how do you begin the process to rebuild positive thinking in your child?

Mental Health, according to the World Health Organisation defines mental health as:

‘a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.’

Absolutely nowhere in this definition does it mention that we are meant to be happy all time. It does mention coping with the normal stresses of life. This is where I think we are letting our children down. We are not teaching them that ALL emotions are OK, and experiencing negative emotions is normal.  Happiness is not something that is achieved and then ticked off the to-do list. Happiness is simply a state of mind – an emotion we choose to experience.

It’s time to RE-THINK our thinking about what we should and shouldn’t be feeling and rebuild positive thinking, which includes feeling negative emotions too.

To Rebuild Positive Thinking means gaining and retaining hope, understanding your own abilities and disabilities, engaging and participating in your life while not being a bystander, personal autonomy, having a meaning and purpose for life and a positive sense of self. 

It’s important to note here, rebuilding and maintaining positive mental health is a continual process. It is not something we do once and then never work on it again. It’s like working on your physical health. We make a commitment to care for ourselves and that means always.

Here are 5 ways to be a mindful parent and help rebuild positive thinking in your child:

• Attitudes and Rights. Rebuilding positive thinking involves listening to your child, learning from your child and acting upon what they share. Most parents come from a good place but often try to instil their ideas, their purpose for life and their beliefs onto the child, regardless of what the child is actually saying. By supporting your child to develop and maintain their own beliefs, ideas about life and what a meaningful life means, you are empowering them to take responsibility for their actions. 
• Dignity and Respect. Rebuilding positive thinking involves being respectful and honest with your interactions with your child. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing or saying no, however, ultimately it is your child’s responsibility, especially when they become teenagers, on the choices they make. Positive thinking is about being sensitive to the other person and respecting values, beliefs and choices.
• Partnership and Communication. As your child becomes a teenager, they become the expert is their life. Teaching them to make good decisions, take positive risks and own their actions is the basic definition of being a parent. Partner with your child and work with them in a way that suits their needs and that makes sense to them, not always to you. Share relevant information and always keep the lines of communication open. Work together in positive and realistic ways to help them achieve their goals hopes and dreams. 

To help your child develop a positive sense of self through rebuilding positive mental health is a gift every parent can share with a little understanding.

Have an awesome day.

P.S: If you would like to build positive internal self-talk in your child, check out these mindfulness cards that work on changing the way you think about emotions.

https://bekind2you.com/product/back-yourself-mindfulness-cards/