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Yesterday I was cooking dinner while my toddler played with one of his puzzles. He had to keep the puzzle pieces together and not just place them into the puzzle holder.
Wade tried for a good, hot minute to fit a few pieces together but became frustrated when they wouldn’t stay still.
He tossed the pieces aside in typical mad-human fashion.
I luckily did not chop off a finger when I looked up from my cutting board to look at him and say, coolly and calmly, “I see you are working so hard. Try it another way.”
Indeed, he tried again.
He didn’t complete it without my help, but he persisted with a little encouragement (F yeah!).
Wade has learned that he can experiment and try things himself first and that he can keep going even if whatever he’s doing is tough.
He doesn’t always need my help. He may be two and a half, but that little brain knows what it’s capable of.
I’m just pruning it, minimizing the negative self-talk in exchange for positive, growth-mindset-oriented talk.
At least that’s what I’m trying my best to do here!
Does he still sometimes whine and say, “I can’t do it!”?
Of course! And so do I.
We practice resilience and positive self-talk together. It’s so important that we speak to our children in a positive way.
Kids internalize what they hear from those around them which heavily influences their self-talk.
Did you (or do you) struggle with poor self-talk of your own? (*waves hand wildly*)
Think about your parents.
How did they speak to themselves or to each other (Sorry Mom and Dad, love you, but the apple didn’t fall far from the tree)?
We want our children to grow up resilient to challenges and face difficulties with grace.
Positive talk is a great tool to build up those skills in our children.
As I have said before, it’s all about that growth mindset!
Here are 20 positive phrases you can shower your child with every day.
20 positive phrases to say to your child
Saying kind, positive phrases to your child helps strengthen the bond between you two.
The positive talk also builds up your child’s internal dialogue bank with caring, thoughtful ways they can ‘talk’ to themselves.
Here are 20 positive phrases to say to your child:
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You are so right!
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You are so helpful.
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You did your best.
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You are working so hard.
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You are important.
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I believe in you.
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I’m listening.
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I love the way you color/play/dance/sing.
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I trust you.
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I love you.
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It’s okay to make mistakes.
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It’s okay to feel angry/sad/scared (any emotion)
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It’s good to be curious.
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It’s so fun being with you!
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Keep trying!
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Be proud of yourself.
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So many people love you!
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That’s a great idea you have!
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What an awesome choice!
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That’s a great question.
Your takeaway
As a parent, your days are busy but remember to…
Tell your kiddo how much you love how they sing, dance, or wiggle.
Tell your kiddo you saw how focused they were while working on that toy or drawing.
Tell your child how you will always be there to listen to their thoughts, worries, and wildest dreams.
Tell your kiddo how important they are to you.
Tell your child how much you endlessly love them.
Heck, say some of these phrases to adults too.
They probably certainly need to hear it, too.
My husband has been asking me to print out a list so we could tape it somewhere as a reminder.
I better go do that while it’s on my mind.
Or laundry. I better go check the laundry.
Share with me in the comments what phrases you like to use and how your kiddos respond!
4 replies on “20 Positive Phrases To Say To Your Child”
Love that.
Wonderful!
I was playing bubbles earlier with my grandson and he got frustrated trying to blow them. I said, “just do your best.” A minute later he said, “I am doing my best.” I thought that was so cute.
That’s so great! Kids pick up on everything we say.