Happy Youth

101 Positive Affirmations for Kids
Pathway2success

Positive thinking is a powerful tool that can improve your health, help you manage stress, overcome challenges, and make better choices. Everyone can benefit from improving their positive thinking skills! The idea is that by changing your thinking, you can control your emotions and your actions. Positive thinking skills often start with positive-self talk, which means using the voice in your head to say positive thoughts about yourself or a situation. Kids and young adults, in particular, always could use more positive thinking in their lives. By beginning to think more positively, kids can learn to believe in themselves and work towards their individual potentials.

Free positive affirmations list for positive thinking! Use this list of 100+ positive affirmations to help kids and young adults improve positive self-talk as a coping strategy or skill. #positiveselftalk #affirmations #teens #specialeducation #pathway2successKids and young adults can use a positive affirmation list by reading the words to themselves or out loud, discussing how they might help, and identifying which phrases would work best. Get your own free printable with 101 positive affirmations for kids and use it to have them choose their top 10 favorite positive affirmations from the list to say in times of need.

Here is the list of 101 positive affirmations that kids and young adults can say to themselves.

  1. There is no one better to be than myself.
  2. I am enough.
  3. I get better every single day.
  4. I am an amazing person.
  5. All of my problems have solutions.
  6. Today I am a leader.
  7. I forgive myself for my mistakes.
  8. My challenges help me grow.
  9. I am perfect just the way I am.
  10. My mistakes help me learn and grow.
  11. Today is going to be a great day.
  12. I have courage and confidence.
  13. I can control my own happiness.
  14. I have people who love and respect me.
  15. I stand up for what I believe in.
    …Read more

9 Ways Faith Can Make You Happier
from Beliefnet
https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/galleries/9-ways-faith-can-make-you-happier.aspx

Just as we need to take care of our physical bodies, we also need to care for our souls. How can faith help you find true happiness and peace?

How to Help Kids with Social Anxiety
 4 super-effective coping strategies parents can teach their child
By: Katie Hurley, LCSW

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) isn’t simply a fear of making or interacting with friends. It’s actually characterized by an intense fear of social situations in which the child might be judged or scrutinized by others.

Children with social anxiety disorder experience intense feelings of anxiety about a number of different triggers including speaking in front of others, reading out loud, fear about being evaluated by others, fear of offending others, fear of embarrassment, and fear conversing with unfamiliar individuals. Children with social anxiety disorder worry in a lot of social situations (school, teams, play dates, enrichment classes, and even family reunions.)

Social anxiety disorder can cause significant distress for children and has a negative effect on academic performance, social relationships, self-confidence, and other areas of functioning. Children with social anxiety disorder are likely to avoid engaging in things like sports or other group activities with their peers for fear of negative scrutiny or embarrassment.
...Read More

The Like Button and Depression
with Walt Mueller

New research from the University of Texas at Austin has connected Facebook’s like button with heightened levels of depression and anxiety among adolescents. If a young person doesn’t get enough likes on their posts, they tend to become emotionally distressed. Our kids are navigating a world where they need to be affirmed in their value and worth. It won’t come from social media likes. It can only come from finding our place in this world as people made and loved by God.
To listen, click here.

Are you an active listener?

Part of being in a healthy relationship (whether it is with a friend, family member, coworker, or peer) is to actively participate in listening to and communicating with that person. Sometimes, active listening takes a little bit of skill development because we have a nifty distraction device in our hands at most times!

Here are some tips for becoming a better listener that will result in better relationships with those you care about!

ACTIVE LISTENING GUIDELINES

  • Empathize. Put yourself in other person’s place to understand what that person is saying and how he or she feels.
  • Be Attentive. Make an effort to listen carefully. Don’t daydream or talk when someone else is talking.
  • Show understanding and acceptance by nonverbal behaviors. – Tone of voice- Facial expressions- Gestures- Eye contact- Posture
  • Reflect back the person’s most important thoughts and feelings. Try to do this in your own words. Paraphrase or restate while being careful to say only what you heard. 
  • Do not interrupt, offer advice, or give suggestions. Do not bring up similar feelings and problems from your own experience. Leave out your personal emotions, disagreements, opinions, and other feedback (unless you are asked for it).
  • Remain neutral. Don’t take sides.
  • Ask open-ended questions. Ask for clarification but be polite and respectful. For example, ask “Can you say more about that?” or “What did you mean when you said…?”

Source: John W. Gardner Center. 2007. Y.E.L.L. Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu/docs/YELL.0712.Intro.final.pdf

WHAT MAKES A FRIENDSHIP HEALTHY? Here are some important positive attributes of a HEALTHY relationship: 

RESPECT   COMMUNICATION   HONESTY   SUPPORT   TRUST

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

  • Does the person you are in a relationship with make you feel good about yourself or often cause you to feel humiliated, left-out, ashamed or unworthy?
  • Is this friendship you have a mutual friendship of trust, or do you often find your friend betraying your confidence?
  • Can you be honest with your friend about your feelings and opinions?
  • Is there one-sided communication or do you often both contact one another?
  • Are you in the friendship to “gain” something or do you have the mutual appreciation and respect for one another?
  • What kind of friend are you? Do you reflect Christian values in the way you connect with your peers?
  • Do you
         Strive for peace
         Protect those who are in need or powerless
         Help others
         Respond in friendship and acceptance to those who are different than you
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