Building Confidence
Teach your child to build greater self-esteem with this exercise.
You can generate positive reasons for your child’s behavior if you look for them.
With a better understanding of how she thinks, it’ll be easier for you to help her deal with the challenges in her life. For the following exercise, write the sentence stems on a piece of lined paper and ask your child to finish them.
1. I am most creative when …
2. I can show others my imagination by …
3. I am really good at …
4. My last really good idea was …
5. One thing I do differently from everyone else is …
6. I do this my way because …
7. I can help others because …
8. The thing I like most about myself is …
9. Other people like me because …
10. I wish people would understand that …
11. I wish I could show people …
12. I wish my parents knew …
You and your child can translate some of the answers into actions. For example, if your child says she can show her imagination by making up songs, invite her to put on a show for the family.
Once you honor your child’s impulses and give them appropriate expression, you can expect fewer inappropriate expressions of them.
