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How to Utilize Positive Words to Improve Your Parenting

Small changes in how we speak and think about ourselves and our kids can make a HUGE impact!
Beth Meltzer, D.Min.

Beth Meltzer, D.Min.

3 Min Read

It’s an easy trap to fall into. You have a bad day, and instead of thinking positive words, you end up venting.

Thoughts come into your mind like:

  • “Things never work out for me.”
  • “My kids never listen.”
  • “I’ll never be a good mom.”
  • “I’ll never be able to stop yelling!”
  • “I can’t handle this!”

Or maybe you have other less-than-positive words or phrases that come to mind. It seems natural to think and speak words that put yourself or your kids down.

Be careful! Words matter! I’ve fallen into this trap myself, and I can tell you from personal experience that when you change your thinking and change your words, you can change your life! Pinky promise!

How to Utilize Positive Words to Improve Your Parenting

Ever hear of self-fulfilling prophecies? Another way to say that is “like attracts like.” We think or speak negatively, and negative things will come our way. When we look on the bright side, speak positive words, and have a happy attitude, we tend to attract good things. Crazy, but it’s true. It’s called the Law of Attraction.

Even the Bible confirms that it’s true. In Proverbs, King Solomon wrote: “Life and Death are in the power of the tongue.” Job said, “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.” The first example shows the power of words; the second, the power of thoughts. Blessings or curses that we can accidentally speak over our own lives or the lives of our kids.

Related: 5 Key Ways to Become a Happier Mom

Try this experiment for the next week:

  1. Start your day by stating some positive words about yourself. “I’m a calm, loving mom/I’m in the process of becoming a calm, loving mom.” for example…OR “I’m a good enough mom. OR “Even though I struggle sometimes with yelling and feel inadequate, I deeply love, honor, and respect myself, and I am in the process of becoming more confident in my ability to parent my child.”
  2. Next, say some positive words about your children. “Today will be a good day. My children will listen and behave better”, “The boys will get along well with each other and quickly resolve any issues”, “Hannah’s strong headedness really confirms that she’s a good leader,” “Matthew’s tendency to cry at anything really shows that he has a tender heart.”
  3. When a situation comes up that really about to try your patience, try this: count to five while taking in a deep breath. Repeat this three times. Hannah, who is five, has been working on this for a few weeks now. It’s really helped her to calm down and not react in a negative way to her brothers.
  4. If you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative about yourself or your kids, STOP and say the opposite. If you have trouble saying whatever it is, just say, “I am in the process of… or “Jon is in the process of……..” But make it something POSITIVE.
  5. If you can, start making a list of positive words about yourself as well as positive words about your children. Write them down and try to read through them each day.

Change your thoughts, change your words, change your life! Promise!

Beth of Epic Families - Happy Family Tips.png

Hi, I’m Beth. I help busy moms ditch the overwhelm and gain confidence, so they can enjoy parenting more, yell less, and have peaceful kids and a happy family.

Originally published at www.epicfamilies.com