From baby stage to toddler and right through early teen years, a child goes through various stages of self-doubt. Kids are constantly comparing themselves to their siblings, class mates and neighbors. Very often, the child sees himself or herself in a bad light. They are always shorter, less smart or uglier than the person they compare themselves to. If parents, teachers or child care providers do not deal with this in the right way the child will grow up to be stressed, feel unloved and will not do well in life – academically, professionally or socially.

Starting with parents who are the prime care givers, all adults who have a child under their care must work towards positive attitude development for kids. This could take the form of:
– Adult having a positive attitude
– Encourage physical individuality
– Appreciate distinctive personality
– Praise special skills and talents
– Encourage diversity

An adult with a positive attitude will automatically translate this in the way he or she behaves around children. If the adult was physically abused or constantly criticized as a child, then chances are that he will grow up to be a domineering adult with little self-worth. To hide his or her inadequacies, they could constantly criticize their partners or children. A parent with a positive attitude will guide his child in the right direction with gentle encouragement.

If your child comes and says, ‘My teacher says my handwriting is the worst in my class’, you can counter it by saying – ‘Right now it is, but with some hard work, you can improve, for I have faith in your abilities’. A child wants to hear their parents and teachers have faith in the abilities. Then they will work harder with a positive frame of mind to correct their shortcomings without allowing the shortcomings to overcome them. So, a little thought in your response will go a long way towards getting positive results from your kids.

Another advantage of a positive attitude is that kids will grow up to be able to make good decisions through life. A good self-image also translates to healthy social relationships. Every person is created different, so not one human being should be compared to another. If your kid comes to you and says her friend has beautiful eyes or lovely curly hair, tell your child that not one eye color or hair texture is better than another. Each one is created different so that they are a special individual. It is important to stress on the ‘special’ aspect, for only then will a child feel that she is as good as her friend – if differently.

In teenagers especially, physical appearances carry a lot of importance. A tall, blonde, blue eyed girl always gets the most popular guy in class. Often, kids who are not as physically attractive become withdrawn and have negative feelings. This is dangerous for it can lead to anti-social behavior, drugs or drinking. From a young age, tell your child his or her physical attributes are attractive so that they will be confident when faced with peer pressure in later years. With this in mind, remember a healthy diet and good exercise will reduce obesity in kids. Obesity is one of the major reasons for negative attitude in kids.

Children should be encouraged to develop their own special personality. Let them know that being popular is not so important. A smart, book worm who is perceived to be a ‘nerd’ will always find the right company wherever they are. It is not necessary to fit in with the crowd and be part of the masses. Having a unique personality and developing a sense of humor towards their shortcomings will help kids cope very well as they grow up and stand up to the bullies in the class.

Each child is born with a talent – music, art, math, writing, sports. From a young age, teach your kids that all talents are wonderful and there is not one that is better than another. While it is true that a sportsperson or singer will be more prominent than a mathematics wizard, each has their own place in society that is equally important. Finally, ethnic diversity should be appreciated. Teach kids to respect all creeds, religions and skin colors for lack of this understanding can create a lot of social tensions. A positive attitude inculcated in the young will go all the way to creating a self-confident adult.

Author Bio: Article by Kenny Leichester of http://www.patioshoppers.com, a website with the best patio furniture information on the web.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: Positive Attitude development for kids