If we view life with a negative, pessimistic perspective, it will be difficult to find any happiness or joy. With this in mind, parents should try to help their children become more optimistic so that they are in a position to face life’s setbacks with a smile on their faces.

Obviously, changing the direction of your child’s overall outlook on life is easier said than done, but fortunately, I have teamed up with a primary school in Hillingdon to offer some guidance on how to raise an optimistic child.

Model positive behaviour

Firstly, it’s important to bear in mind that children learn how to behave and even how to think, to some degree, from their parents and other influential people around them, including older siblings and grandparents.

With that said, try and provide your child with a happy and uplifting home environment so that your child can develop an optimistic approach.

If you’re stressed at work, in your relationship or in any other aspect of life, try and shelter it from your child so that they don’t begin to develop a negative opinion of adulthood.

Express gratitude

Each day or even just once a week, you should try to encourage each member of your family to discuss the things that they are grateful for or something they might be looking forward to in the future.

This will help emphasise an optimistic and appreciative outlook within your family. Use uplifting language around your child and remind them that they have your full support on a regular basis so that they remember they are loved. This will help them see life in a positive light!

It’s also worth having direct and honest conversations with your child every once in a while to discuss the fact that bumps in the road are an inevitable part of life but that we can’t let them hold us back. As a result, your child should be able to handle such situations more effectively.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.