Teach your child positive self-talk: Here’s how

Children have the most spontaneous existence in which there is little or no space for negativity till the time they gain a certain level of consciousness. After a certain age, children develop a sense of self which is extremely important to be taken care of. A nascent sense of self is extremely delicate and can be corrupted by external influences like negative talk, shaming and surroundings. Even after the nascent stage has been gotten over with, the sense of self of an individual can suffer serious setbacks due to failures or any other factors. A lack of motivation is another prime reason that is responsible for the same. Knowing what positive self-talk is and engaging in it are extremely necessary skills that help children cope up with problems such as these. Here are some ways in which you can teach your child positive self-talk.

Having everyday conversations about positive self-talk and more importantly about how your child is feeling vis-à-vis different aspects of its life, including home, school, peer group and family is a great way to start. Most likely, your child will point out what did not go as planned or as per expectation but these conversations also make way for recognizing what is right and encouraging positive feelings. It also instills a sense of security within the child, making it believe that it can come to you if anything goes wrong.

While this may sound too simplistic or obvious but recognizing and appreciating how much effort your child put into something can set most things straight for the both of you. It is important to always acknowledge that your child made efforts towards something, no matter what the end result ends up being. It will always help your child deal with failure and help it stay motivated for working hard.

One of the best ways to make one feel good about themselves is to show them everything that is good about them. A child’s strengths should be recognized and not just silently but in front of them as well. Ask them what they like the most about themselves, they might not always be able to tell it. You can guide them towards recognizing their strengths and encourage them to pursuit them everyday.

In order to make way for positive self-talk, it is important to first be aware of the negative self-talk that pervades your child’s psyche. You as a parent can help them recognize these negative patterns that are wreaking havoc on their mental health. If they are aware of when and why they think and talk negatively about themselves, they will definitely be able to see how and where to make space for positive self-talk.