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Home › Articles › Development › The Sippy Cup Is Half Full

The Sippy Cup Is Half Full

Tips for Raising an
Optimistic Child

By Mark Stackpole

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Currently, Daniels is helping her daughter, Mariah-Lynn, overcome some negativity in regards to her learning. "At least once a day, we hear that she can't do something," she says. "Most recently, we were working on writing her name, and we would get to the letter R, only to listen to her protest that it was much too hard. When she finally mastered the letter, the joy on her face was beyond description. There is no harm in letting a child believe that she is capable of doing anything she puts her mind to."

Lifelong Benefits

Bob Murray, author of Raising an Optimistic Child (McGraw-Hill, 2005), believes that an optimistic childhood has some obvious and immediate benefits.

"An optimistic child will be inquisitive, able to make appropriate friendships easily, look forward to exploring his world and to having new experiences and generally make a joyful noise!"Murray says.

However, optimism seems to have an important impact well after the end of childhood. "Optimistic children do better at school than pessimists, and they have more satisfactory relationships later on," Murray says. "They are far less likely to experiment with risky behavior, premature sex, drugs, tobacco or alcohol. Research has also shown that optimists have far fewer health problems, are more successful in their careers and generally live longer."

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