I believe little kids are gurus in disguise that wander around teaching us how to be mindful and live in the present moment. They live with an open heart and mind, have no fear, do not judge and tell the truth.
That is, until they start feeling anxious because they absorb our stress. Kids don’t know how to control their emotions. Their behaviour reflects how they are feeling and they mirror our emotions like a lake reflects a mountain. Kids have the ability to be unstoppable but as they grow up society shuts them down with consumerism and conformity.
Positive affirmation and mantra can be taught to a child from a very early age. What we tell our child becomes their inner voice. If we tell they are always naughty, they will grow up thinking this. They are not naughty, it is their behaviour that is. Our job as a loving mother is to guide them so they become their best self. We teach them what it means to be a good person, to be kind, to have empathy and to be grateful for what we have.
I believe in the power of positive affirmation because Buddha tells us “what we think, we become”.
Positive affirmation for kids
Children can be taught that they have control over their thoughts, which affects how they feel. They can step away from negativity and choose to be positive and this can bring out emotional, physical and mental changes in them. Positive affirmations help us to feel better and happier about ourselves. This will help children grow into successful, fulfilled adults. Here are some simple positive affirmations to do with your child:
- I am kind.
- I am happy.
- I am strong.
- I am a good person.
- I am loveable.
- I am safe.
- I am enough.
Say them together
Put some simple affirmations on the wall in your child’s room as a reminder for them to be a good person. Give them gentle guidelines and rules to follow. Paint the fridge with chalk paint and get them to write down their affirmations so they can see them every day. Repeat these with your child, you can make your own ones to suit your lifestyle. These are our favourites:
- Be happy.
- Always tell the truth.
- Keep your promises.
- Help others.
- Say please and thank you.
- Laugh a lot.
- Try new things.
- Spread kindness.
- Count your blessings.
Mantra for kids
Mantra is the secret language of the heart and these can have such a powerful effect on not just our life, but also our child’s life. When your child is feeling nervous stressed or frustrated, repeat a mantra with them to help them feel calm.
- I am still like a frog.
- I am strong inside like a mountain.
- I am a peaceful piggy.
- I am a mindful monkey.
- I am smiling inside.
Sing them together
My son, Lael (5 years) and I sing this happy song by Kundalini yoga teacher Snatam Kaur from her album “Feeling good today”.The song “I am happy” resonates with all the kids I teach. We sing the mantra “Sat a Nam” and use the action of connecting each fingertip to our thumb as we sing the mantra which engages kids and promotes focus.
You can whisper the song with the actions and also sing the song with no voice just using the actions and this teaches kids how to use a mantra by repeating the song in their mind.
Draw and read them together
Kids learn through stories so read them books with themes of gratitude, kindness, happiness, mindfulness, confidence and resilience. Get your child to draw what the affirmation means to them. What does happy look like? Can you think of a time when you felt happy? Who were you with, what were you doing? Display the drawings in the kitchen or their bedroom so you are all reminded of these positive experiences and emotions.
I created a range of positive affirmation t-shirts for kids to wear. These also act as mindful reminders for us in our busy world. I print these on mugs, stickers and candles. Also consider purchasing your child a mala. Teach them to set an intention and use the mala as a reminder of positive experiences and emotions.
There is nothing more beautiful than hearing your child say the affirmation “I am love”.
