ParentTalkPodcast Episode 006 Parent Talk Podcast The Power of Parenting with A Positive Attitude ! Choose your attitude (inspired by the FISH! Philosophy). Choose to have a positive attitude. What good has happened to your life in the last month, last week, today? When you hear something good happened, how does that make you feel? Does it make you feel good? Do you feel touched, inspired, motivated? Take a moment to think about this: What has been good in your life? When you focus on the positive, it changes your attitude and motivates you. You are reinforcing the positive. Attitude is defined as “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something and is typically reflected in one’s actions.” Your feelings can be discerned through your actions. If you start your day with a negative attitude toward your kids, they can tell by your behavior. What is your attitude when it comes to parenting kids? It’s easier to talk about the negative than the positive. When we focus on the negative, it affects our attitude and parenting. You probably know people who are always negative. In an effort to change their thinking, ask an always-negative person to tell you something good that has happened (something all good, not just conditionally good). ! ! © Parent Talk Podcast a Hello MrBrown Production 2015 ParentTalkPodcast Episode 006 Your perspective changes so much. Here are some quotes about attitudes. “We can complain that rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses.” - Abraham Lincoln “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” - Dr. Seuss “A bad attitude is like a flat tire: if you don’t change it, you won’t go anywhere.” - Unknown Awareness to action 1. Look for something good in your kids and/or family that you can talk about - Ask others in your family about good that has happened to them 2. Acknowledge the good with no strings attached - Don’t be the type of parent (or person) that says, “Well, you did well, but if you had done more, you would have done better.” Constructive criticism has its place, but so does encouragement. 3. Make it a habit, not a ritual - Don’t do things (like asking about something good that happened every dinner) just because you’re supposed to do it. Be engaged and truly focus on the good. ! “I choose to have a positive attitude” does not mean everything is positive. It expresses the ability to see beyond the negativity and not focus on those things. It means acknowledging the positive and not forget it in the midst of the negativity. ! © Parent Talk Podcast a Hello MrBrown Production 2015 ParentTalkPodcast Episode 006 If you do this, 1. Your attitude will change 2. Your focus will change 3. You will create a habit of looking for the good 4. Your kids will seek positive attention from you - Our kids want to be heard and seen because we all have the desire to be acknowledged. Give them that positive reinforcement at home so they don’t have to search for other outlets ! Start by asking your family questions like these: What was your favorite part of the day? Tell me something good that happened this week? Do you do something else with your family? Please share with the community. Want to know more about Mister Brown? Check out hellomrbrown.com/about Join the conversation! We’re working to build a community of parents willing to share their ideas. Leave a comment (parenttalkpodcast.com/006) or contact our 24 hour feedback line. 530-535-8121 © Parent Talk Podcast a Hello MrBrown Production 2015