Dad was teaching 7-year-old daughter positive affirmations — then an unexpected 'desk reminder' from her stunned him
Kids have a keen interest in mirroring what they see their parents doing. Sometimes, they leave adults surprised with the depth of their knowledge and ideals. A dad who goes by u/Nellie_ressa was proud to share an unexpected message he received from his daughter at his workplace. He revealed that he had been teaching his 7-year-old positive affirmations. The little girl left him something out of the blue in response to what he had been teaching her. In a comment, the dad revealed that he had been practicing the healthy habit with his daughter from a young age.
He found different phrases to teach his daughter from various sources. Some were well-thought-out and shared, while others came randomly from social media influencers. Lea Theodore, a psychology professor at Adelphi University, New York, shared why affirmations can make a positive difference in a child’s life, per US News. “Affirmations play a significant role in the healthy development of children,” she noted. She further explained, "By repeating positive affirmations, children can internalize uplifting messages about themselves, which will increase their belief in their abilities and worth. This builds the foundation of confidence and resilience, which is helpful when facing new challenges and learning experiences.”
When the dad got back to work from a three-day weekend, he was surprised to find a note on his work desk. “I walked in to grab something today and found this stuck to my desk,” he wrote. The Post-it had broken handwriting with a large font and 4 lines. “My seven-year-old thought I could also use some of those positive affirmations we’ve been working on. Thanks, kid,” the dad remarked. The affirmations read, “Your [sic] brave. Your [sic] kind. Your [sic] strong. You can do hard things.” It was the perfect blend of wholesomeness and an expression of love, along with an assurance that the little girl was learning what had been taught by her dad.
“Whether we picked it up from Ms Rachel (Youtuber who posts baby learning videos), an anxious bestie, or otherwise, I’m very grateful this kid will be raised to know her worth. She is such a kind soul - we’re very lucky,” the dad remarked. In a comment, the dad mentioned that he revealed to his 7-year-old that she shared her handwritten affirmations with the internet and the girl had a heartwarming response. “She’s honestly just a really sweet kid. Sensitive and oh-so sweet. I showed her that I had posted this to Reddit and shared all of the kind comments. She was glowing knowing her little note of positivity had reached so many people,” he wrote.
Right enough, people were awe-inspired by her effort. Others even held on to the affirmations as messages for them. u/boomer_energy_ said, “Heck, this made me feel empowered and it’s not even my note. I love this energy! I hope this positivity stays with your daughter. She can (and will) tackle anything she wants in life!” u/ragingpoeti added, “I really needed to hear this today. Who knew that getting a pep talk from a kid would be so great.” u/krummen53 remarked, “You are her primary example of a dedicated worker...always watching. The recognition is priceless. Frame it.”