10 Reasons Kids Should Say Affirmations

Max & Emery in Reflect:-)!

Do you remember your first day of 5^th grade? Do you recall the thoughts you had when you woke up on that first day of school? Think back, really think back. How did you feel? Were you excited? Scared? Nervous? All of the above?

I remember mine so clearly.  It was my first year at a new elementary school in Illinois. We had recently moved to a new neighborhood from Michigan and I remember feeling so worried. Can you believe it? As a ten year old…worried!?

Let me back up a bit. Three years prior to my first day of 5^th grade was my first day of 2^nd grade. I remember being very excited for my first day of 2^nd grade because I was not only starting a new school, but a new school in a NEW country. My family had just moved to America from the UK and this was super cool to me.

However, the exhilaration I felt on my first day of 2^nd grade quickly dissipated, in fact, it came to an abrupt halt. When I walked into my new American school, I realized that I was very different and that people were looking at me funny. I spoke differently, I dressed differently, and I looked differently. In a quick second, my excitement turned to fear and I did not want to let go of my Mom.

That first day of 2^nd grade left me feeling defeated and I remember thinking that I never wanted to be different again. And there it began. As a 7 year old, I already had my first limiting belief. Being different was bad.

So when my first day of 5^th grade came around, the same worrisome feelings struck me again. Am I too different? It’s amazing how many mind games we play with ourselves, even as 7 and 10 year olds.

Before the school year started, I had met a wonderful friend, Dana, who was also new to town. I was SO thankful that we would be starting a new year, at a new school together. Dana made that first day much easier for me!

Having said that however, I still could not suppress my worrisome feelings of “Will they like me?” “Am I too different?”

I remember vividly that we had to pick people to sit with at lunch as our lunch tables were to be assigned. No one wanted to sit with us. We did not have any friends except for one another and we did not feel welcomed at all

It wasn’t until out teacher, Mrs. Stahoviak, made three other girls sit with us that we had a full lunch table. It felt awful. Our teacher had to “enforce” people to sit with us…why?

In hindsight and with the knowledge I have now, I know that it was my insecurities that created the experience of feeling left out. If I had more confidence and self-esteem, my experience would have been completely different.

But again, that simple experience led to a new set of limiting beliefs and hurt emotions.

Was I not popular enough?

Was I not pretty enough?

Did I not wear the right clothes?

Was I not fun to be around?

Was I weird?

It may seem crazy, but it was true. The even crazier thing, however, is that even as a 29 year old, some of my 10 year old thoughts still enter my mind.

Thank goodness I have the right tools in my tool belt that enable me to “fight off” the bad thoughts, but I would be lying if I said they did not creep in every now and again. This is why the practice of affirmations is so imperative and needs to start from a very early age. If I had 25 years with access to empowering tools that would help me counteract my limiting beliefs, then I would be even further along in my journey than I am now.

Imagine if on that first day of school, I began my day by saying:

“I make new friends easily.”

“I celebrate everyone’s differences and they celebrate mine.”

“I am sweet, caring, and likeable.”

Imagine how different my experiences could have been!

The past is the past however, and I am incredibly grateful for it as it has shaped me into the woman I am today. These experiences have opened my eyes to my passion, which is to share my own experiences with others, especially children, to empower them to focus on their wonderful qualities, their positive experiences, and all the other blessings around them.

So, why should kids begin using affirmations?!

10. Limiting beliefs start from a very early age and affirmations are a great way of counteracting them.

9. Success is 90% attitude and 10% aptitude. Positive affirmations instill a positive attitude, which inevitably leads to success.

8. Positive affirmations = Positive Self-Image = Friendly and Happy Children = Positive environment in schools, on the playground, and at home.

7. A positive self-image leads to healthier lifestyle choices.

6. Positivity breeds positivity. One child’s positivity is contagious and will make a tremendous impact on their peers.

5. Positive affirmations create confidence from the inside-out.

4. Confidence leads to healthy relationships in all areas of life.

3. When children believe in themselves and maintain a healthy self-esteem, they know there is absolutely nothing they cannot accomplish.

2. Children are our future. When children love themselves, they have a greater potential of making a huge impact in the world.

1. Because children are amazing and we want them to live happy and healthy lives!!

Michele is doing an amazing job raising her kids using affirmations. She is cultivating an environment that is positive, happy and building her children up to be the best that they can be. Above all, she is teaching her children to truly love themselves. And when children love themselves, they are completely unstoppable in the best way possible!

HOW CUTE!!!

Some Affirmations for Children:

I can do anything I set my mind to.

I believe in myself.

I always do the best that I can do.

I make healthy choices.

I make new friends easily.

I celebrate everyone’s differences and they celebrate mine.

I am a loving and loyal friend.

I am beautiful from the inside-out.

I am making a positive difference in the world.

If you have additional thoughts or stories about how affirmations have made a difference in your child’s life, please share them with us. We are hoping to start a movement where affirmations and positive thought become an integral part of our children’s curriculum!