Practicing Positive Talk: How to Come Together this Foster Parent Appreciation Month
It’s no secret that being in care can be tough at times. Whether struggling to fit in at a new school, or missing family, change is hard and at times, frustrating. That’s okay. But one thing that may help everyone on this new journey, from Foster Parents to children in care, is practicing positive self-talk. Or in other words, affirmations.
Affirmations have become a rising practice in daily life. The idea is to repeatedly say positive things to bring our wants and needs to life. Sociologist Dr. Kathryn J Lively says that affirmations “reprogram the subconscious mind [and] encourage us to believe certain things about ourselves or about the world and our place within it.” By repeatedly saying these affirmations and committing to a daily practice of saying them out loud or writing them out, we start to believe them.
All that said, the inspiration for this story did not come from Psychology journals, but from our own Youth. The Instagram account @ancfsao_iyac, run by members of the Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario (ANC FSAO)’s provincial Indigenous Youth Advisory Council (IYAC). Launched in 2023, this passionate group made a set of affirmation cards to “positively impact the lives of youth on similar journeys as themselves.” A few of these affirmations include the following:
Developing a daily routine as a family to practice these affirmations will not only help build children and youth’s self-esteem, but by working together to implement this into your family’s lives, it will build a stronger foundation within a child’s circle of care.
You can find more cards and resources here or by following @ancfsao_iyac for further affirmations and resources for children and youth in care.
Interested in learning more about IYAC? Click here.
Articles Cited/Further Reading
Affirmations: The Why, What, How, and What If? | Psychology Today
https://www.instagram.com/ancfsao_iyac/