Encouraging Your Kids to Be Optimistic
Although we don’t want our kids to be oblivious to real problems in the world, we do need to help them embrace an optimistic outlook. Here you’ll find resources to assist you in teaching optimism to kids. By modeling and teaching optimism, we can provide our kids with a valuable tool to weather the adverse circumstances they are sure to encounter in their lives.
An optimistic attitude doesn’t give up at the slightest setback; it looks for the good, and focuses on the positive. Your child may naturally exhibit either greater optimistic or pessimistic tendences, but you have significant ability to influence them toward optimistic thinking. I can say from personal experience that I was a naturally pessimistic child (my nickname was Eeyore!), but over the years, my tendency has shifted markedly toward an optimistic outlook. Change is possible.
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Character Trait of the Month List
Each month, as part of our homeschool learning, I choose a specific character trait to focus attention on. There are a lot of character traits worth pursuing, but given the time frame of the school year, I narrowed my list down to ten.
3 Simple Ways to Encourage Optimism
First, remind them that they can choose their response to obstacles. It’s natural to get discouraged at times. Our kids will feel disappointment and encounter setbacks. And while it’s appropriate to acknowledge those feelings and not suppress or ignore valid emotional responses, we then need to assist our kids in moving past that initial emotional response.
We can help our kids to think about the situation in a larger context of life. Our kids must learn to look for opportunities to learn from the failures they will inevitably experience.
Second, focus on effort over accomplishment. Reinforce to your child how much you value their perseverance. Relate their hard work to visible progress. It’s important for your kids to realize that they can control their effort, and over time, that effort results in progress.
And finally, offer positive alternatives to negative responses. When your child says, “I can’t,” ask them to add the word “yet” to that thought. “I can’t yet…” allows for possibility and hope. Remind them of a time they couldn’t do something in the past and how they learned to do it, or overcame that obstacle. Reframe, “I’m no good at this,” into “how can I learn about this.” The more we change negative self-talk to an outlook of possibility, the more we train ourselves to think optimistically about our future.
Teaching Optimism to Kids with Quotes and Questions
Here are a few quotes about resourcefulness, along with questions you can use to engage your kids in conversation or use as a writing assignment or journal prompt.
We can complain that rose bushes have thorns or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.
Alphonse Karr
Question: Can you condense the meaning of this quote down to two words? How does complaining affect your mindset?
(Possible answers: think positive, stop complaining, positive thinking, see good)
Optimism is a muscle that gets stronger with use.
Robin Roberts
Question: How could you test this statement for yourself? Write out some negative thoughts or responses that you experience, and replace them with positive thoughts or responses.
(Possible answers: “I’m not good at math” becomes “I’m going to keep trying and find new ways to learn.” “I can’t do this as well as she can” becomes “I’ll keep working at this and take note of my progress.”)
Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.
Noam Chomsky
Question: Do you believe that optimism is a necessary foundation for personal responsibility?
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
Helen Keller
Question: Do you think it is possible to achieve something without believing it is possible? What does “confidence” mean in this context?
More Optimism Quotes
Here are a few additional quotes about optimism you may wish to consider as alternatives, or use in addition to the four above. These quotes don’t necessarily use the word optimism, but the ideas behind these quotations are all related to the same concept.
There is some good in this world and it’s worth fighting for.
J.R.R. Tolkien
It’s not that optimism solves all of life’s problems; it is just that it can sometimes make the difference between coping and collapsing.
Lucy MacDonald
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
Maria Robinson
An optimist understands that life can be a bumpy road, but at least it is leading somewhere. They learn from mistakes and are not afraid to fail again.
Harvey Mackay
Optimism News Articles and Reports
Here are a few sources for news articles containing stories of optimism and positivity. One way to teach optimism to kids is to show them specific examples of it in action.
Science News for Students
The website sciencenewsforstudents.org is a great resource for science-related news articles written specifically for kids.
The Brain Looks at the Bright Side of Things: Description of a study that looked at how people’s risk perceptions changed based on positive or negative information.
When Science Blew Up in My Face, I Learned…: Finalists in a science competition share failure and what they learned from them. Great examples of looking for ways to learn and grow from failure.
DOGO News
Another source for kid-friendly news articles is dogonews.com
Teenage Track Star with Multiple Sclerosis Defies All Odds: This article tells the story of a young athlete who was determined to overcome physical obstacles and believe the impossible is possible.
Alaskan Teen Survives 26 Hours Floating Inside a Fish Crate by Staying Positive and Singing: This story is a great example of optimism in action!
Books that Explore Optimism
These books explore the theme of resourcefulness through engaging stories. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper is a classic tale of believing you can do hard things. What Do You Do with a Problem by Kobi Yamada takes a look at facing problems and discovering possibilities. In Slacker by Gordon Karman, the title character’s computer games are forbidden by his parents. Upon their insistence, he begrudgingly starts a club called the Positive Action Group and finds it more satisfying than he expected. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery tells the well-loved story of red-headed Anne, who endures her share of emotional upheaval but continually manages to look on the bright side.
Short Video Content Related to Optimism
These links are videos I added to my kids’ Google classrooms during April to focus on thinking optimistically.
Optimism (YouTube – AmazingCardTricks007): Short video reminding kids they have a choice between negativity and optimism.
The Power of Positivity (YouTube – Brain Games): This is a clip from an episode of the TV show Brain Games showing the effect of positive versus negative reinforcement.
Choosing Optimism (YouTube – TEDxYouth): Ninth-grader delivers a talk about how to choose optimism and the benefits of a positive outlook.
Movies with an Optimistic Theme
Have your kids watch Finding Nemo and look for the contrast between optimism and pessimism between Dory and Marlin.
The Martian is the fictional story of an astronaut stranded alone on Mars (talk about obstacles!) and his unwavering optimism in the face of overwhelming difficulty.
Ride Like a Girl tells the inspirational story of the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
Teaching Optimism to Kids with Activities
Try some of these ways to encourage a positive outlook in your child.
Reset Button
Somewhere in the past decade, I heard or read someone describe a simple technique for helping their kids stop and think about how to turn their attitude around. The idea is to touch your finger to your nose and push the “reset” button. I’ve done this with my kids a number of times, and it really can work.
The key that I found is to not overuse it. If you have to push the reset button several times a day, it may lose its effectiveness as a tool of behavioral change. However, when used infrequently, announcing that you think it’s time to push the reset button (and physically reaching up to touch your own nose!) can bring your child’s attention to a particularly negative attitude.
Gratitude Practice
Gratitude has been shown time and again to directly correlate with a positive attitude. Get your kids a journal and encourage them to begin a daily habit of recording gratitude. Alternatively, make it a family activity and start a gratitude jar or list together. It’s hard to sit in negativity when you are consistently looking for ways to be thankful.
Write Down Specific Positive Thoughts
Help your kids recognize and pay attention to negative thoughts and self-talk.
Start a list with two columns. At the top of the page label two columns. Column 1 label: “WHEN I THINK…” Column 2 label: “TELL MYSELF INSTEAD…”
When you hear them make a negative comment, such as, “I’m so stupid,” have them write it down, along with a positive phrase substitution. In this case, a positive alternative could be, “I’m going to learn more about that.”
Scriptures to Encourage Optimism
As Christians, we have a hope that cannot be shaken. We should be the most positive and optimistic people on the face of the earth. In light of our knowledge of a secure and joyous eternal future, here are some scriptures to read and memorize with your kids to encourage an optimistic outlook.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NIV)
Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.
Philippians 4:4 (ERV)
For I know what I have planned for you, says the Lord. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NET)
Free Printable Optimism Quotes and Questions
By subscribing to my mailing list, you have access to my printables library, where you can download a free printable list of these four quotes and accompanying questions. Use them as discussion questions, a writing assignment, or journal prompts.
Join my mailing list to receive updates when new printable resources are added to the library, plus tips and encouragement for your organized homeschool journey.
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Teaching Optimism to Kids
The best way to teach optimism to kids is of course to model it in your own attitude. Talk to your kids (age-appropriately) about your feelings of disappointment and allow them to hear and see you acknowledge and overcome those feelings with a positive outlook for the future. Focus on gratitude and how you can be thankful for what you have rather than sitting in a negative emotion such as jealousy or bitterness. Replace negative self-talk with words and phrases that speak truth about your ability to learn and grow from failure and frustration. And finally, make a conscious decision to choose optimism. Exercise that muscle. Make positivity a habit.
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April Character Trait Focus: Optimism
