Discover powerful positive affirmations to uplift, encourage and support you and your child through every stage of your parenting journey.
Being a mum is one of the world’s most rewarding and exhausting jobs. Between school runs, packing lunches, never-ending laundry and work commitments, it’s easy to lose sight of your own mental wellbeing. Add in tantrums, sleepless nights and the mental load of motherhood, and you might find yourself battling negative thoughts more often than not.
Enter the powerful tool of positive affirmations. While they might sound like fluffy feel-good quotes, science—and many lived experiences—tell us otherwise. Positive affirmations can shape our thought patterns, rewire our neural pathways and bring more inner peace into our daily lives. And here’s the bonus: they work for kids too.
What are positive affirmations?
People everywhere, and at any age, feel deeply encouraged and empowered when they are affirmed. Positive affirmations are short, empowering, positive statements we repeat to ourselves, usually in the present tense, to reinforce confidence, gratitude or clarity.
They might sound like, “I am strong and capable” or “My intentional efforts matter and pay off”. These phrases interrupt negative self-talk and promote a positive mindset.
For many mums and kids, negative thought patterns can play on repeat throughout the day or week. Most of us were never taught how to recognise and interrupt these thoughts, or affirm truth and quiet the loud inner critic. Negative feelings often stem from unhealthy thought patterns, unkind words from others or the belief that no-one sees or believes in our potential.
By intentionally using positive affirmations, we can begin to counteract those distorted negative beliefs. This practice becomes a powerful tool for stopping that mental loop and reshaping the mindset of both you and your child. They help to ground you in the present moment and celebrate something, no matter how small. Now, that’s great for anyone’s mental health!
How and when to use affirmations in daily life
You don’t need to carve out hours or make it a formal ritual. Here are practical, mum-friendly tips to make affirmations part of your daily life:
1. Morning routine boost
Say or read an affirmation while brushing your teeth, making breakfast or packing lunches. A small habit sets the tone for the day.
2. Sticky notes for visual reminders
Place positive affirmations on your bathroom mirror, fridge or child’s school bag. Seeing them often reinforces their message and adds a burst of positive energy.
3. Bedtime wind-down
Make affirmations part of your wind-down ritual. Speak gentle, reassuring affirmations with your child to promote inner peace and better sleep.
4. When negative thoughts arise
Catch your negative self-talk and actively swap it for a kinder phrase. This teaches your mind to default to compassion instead of criticism. Also, say them over your child when you hear them verbally beating themselves up.
5. Physical activity integration
While going for a walk or during your exercise routine, repeat your affirmations mentally. This pairs movement with mental rewiring, strengthening neural pathways even more.
Why mums need affirmations
Motherhood can trigger cycles of negative thinking, comparison and self-doubt. Whether you’re questioning your parenting, struggling with anxiety or just feeling burnt out, using daily affirmations can shift your focus from self-criticism to self-compassion.
You pour so much into your family—why not pour a little back into your own mind?
Instead of spiralling into I’m not doing enough, imagine catching that thought and replacing it with I am enough for my kids. This is the right thing at the right time.
10 positive affirmations for mums
These can be part of your daily routine, whispered to yourself in the mirror, jotted on sticky notes or spoken during quiet moments.
- I am exactly the mum my child needs.
- I am allowed to rest and recharge.
- I am in charge of my feelings. I get to choose my mood.
- I have the inner strength to face hard days.
- I am growing and learning every day.
- My personal goals matter too.
- I am grateful for the good things in my life.
- I deserve kindness—from myself and others.
- I trust my instincts and decisions.
- I give myself grace and space to breathe.
These affirmations can help anchor your positive outlook, especially during chaotic or emotionally draining moments.
Affirmations for kids: Why they matter
Children are impressionable and their thought patterns are forming rapidly. Helping them build strong, healthy internal dialogue early on creates emotional resilience and long-term mental wellbeing.
10 positive affirmations for kids (that mums can say to them)
You can speak these aloud to your child, write them on sticky notes for their lunchbox or include them in bedtime routines.
- You are safe, loved and enough.
- You can do hard things.
- Your feelings matter.
- I believe in you.
- You are kind, smart and brave.
- It’s okay to make mistakes—we learn from them.
- You bring joy to this world.
- I love watching you grow and try new ways of doing things.
- You are getting better every day.
- Your ideas and voice are important.
Over time, these positive statements plant seeds of confidence and a lasting sense of worth in your child’s authentic self.
Making affirmations a habit
Like brushing teeth or reading books, affirmations become powerful with regular practice. Don’t worry if it feels awkward initially—most new habits do. Set a simple goal like “one affirmation each morning and one at night”. That’s enough to start shifting your thought patterns and emotional tone.
If you’re having a tough day, go back to one grounding affirmation like “this moment is hard, but I am capable”. That’s positive self-talk at work, rewiring your response and calming your nervous system.
The more you replace negative ideas about yourself or your child with positive thoughts, the closer you move toward believing in both your own and your child’s potential. This shift also helps you be more solution-focused rather than reacting purely from heightened emotion, which can often feel overwhelming or irrational. Positive changes don’t come from criticism, self-loathing or hopeless thinking. They begin with compassionate self-reflection and taking ownership of your actions.
Affirmations are for everyone
Motivational author Louise Hay once said, “You’ve been criticising yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” This is where positive affirmations truly shine. They aren’t magic—they’re mental workouts that, over time, create new, empowering defaults.
Your self-talk matters, not just for you but also for your kids. Children don’t just listen to your words; they absorb how you speak to yourself. When you model self-compassion, healthy self-talk and a growth-oriented positive mindset, you’re passing on invaluable tools.
No matter how challenging your day may be, there are always positive aspects to notice if you’re willing to look for them.
- Maybe you spilled coffee on your shirt right before a parent-teacher meeting—but hey, at least the traffic was light that morning.
- Or maybe your child is sick on your only day off, throwing all your plans out the window—but you finally pick up that knitting project you’ve been putting off.
- Perhaps a large bill arrives, forcing you to scale back the family holiday you were looking forward to—but even a smaller getaway can still create beautiful memories.
Focusing on the good things, even in imperfect moments, helps train your mind to stay rooted in positive thinking, helping you live your best life. By embedding them into your daily routine, you’re promoting your own mental wellbeing and personal growth and raising children who know how to speak to themselves with kindness and courage.
It’s not about being perfect but making consistent, intentional, positive changes. While it may push you outside your comfort zone and challenge your core values about yourself, making those small right decisions every day pays off in the long run.
Remember, a positive valuation of yourself and your child will go a lot further than trying to criticise yourself into action.
So go ahead. Stick those notes on the mirror. Whisper a kind word in the car. Affirm your child’s magic. And remember: Every step you take, no matter how small, is huge.
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Positive affirmations every parent needs to hear (and say)
