February 16, 2019

Quote of the Week

"Children who grow up feeling loved deeply become adults who are prewired to love deeply." - Karen Salmansohn

The Power Of Affirmation In The Life Of A Child

"Research on the power of affirmation in the life of children has been rolling out for many years. There is little dispute. You can be too negative. You can be too critical. You can be too angry. But you can rarely be too positive. You can rarely provide too much affirmation."

We need to become experts in affirmation to become life-changing and society- changing cheerleaders for children. Child psychologist and author Linda Chamberlain says it so well: “We know more than ever before about how to help children exposed to domestic violence. Positive, supportive relationships are at the core of recovering from trauma. We need to instill hope while helping children to understand and express their feelings, validating their experiences and helping them to recognize and build on their strengths. Affirmations that help children to believe in themselves (confidence), recognize that they are good at something (competence) and encourage them to share their gift/skill with others (contribution) are essential building blocks of resiliency.” [read more]

Reading Corner

Title: I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids
By: Gabi Garcia
Ages: 4+

"I ordered this book for my granddaughters based on the online description. When the book arrived I was even more pleased. It talks about speaking up when needed, saying no to friends, practicing kindness and many other issues young children face in their everyday lives. Colorful, multicultural illustrations are delightful. When a difficult decision or situation arises, it advises children "to listen for that quiet voice inside" and when they do, that voice can be their guide. I can hardly wait to share this book with my granddaughters in person! " -- Amazon Reviewer

Be the Change

Reflect on how often you find yourself practicing strength-based approaches vs deficit-based approaches with your kids. How did your choice of approach impact the situation you were in and what did you learn in the process? Here's a great resource filled with ideas for different activities you can do with your children to develop positive attitudes in their day to day lives.