Teaching Mentally Strong Children
They empower themselves
kids who feel empowered don't depend on other people to feel good. They choose, for example, to be in a bright mood even when someone else is having a bad day or tries to take their anger out on them.
Create catchphrases: Work with your kid to come up with phrases that they can repeat to themselves.
The most effective catchphrases are short and easy to remember:
- "All I can do is try my best."
- "Act confident."
- "I'm good enough."
- "I choose to be happy today."
They adapt to change
Name your emotions: Change feels uncomfortable. But just putting a name to your feelings can lessen the sting of these emotions.
Unfortunately, most of us don't spend enough time thinking about how we feel. In fact, even as adults, we tend to put more energy into fighting our emotions.
have them talk elaborately about how they're feeling. More importantly, help them find — and define — the right words to describe it (e.g., sad, happy, frustrated, nervous, eager).
They own their mistakes
Kids are often tempted to hide their mistakes because they don't want to get in trouble.
When your kid makes a mistake, remind them that they can change their environment in a way that will prevent them from making the same mistake twice.
They persist
Mentally strong kids who persist will continue to work hard even when they don't feel like it. Often, they eventually succeed and discover that they're stronger than they initially thought.
Write a letter: Have your kid write a letter — filled with words of kindness and encouragement — to themselves.