Positive Self-Talk

One of GLAD House's primary purposes is serving as a safe place for children of addicted parents to learn and grow. We understand that in their home lives, these kids are often faced with challenges and burdens that can be overwhelming to ones so young. Our goal is to equip these kids with coping skills that they can use to move past their difficulties: positive self-talk is just one of the many skills we teach!

Positive self-talk is like having an optimistic voice in your head that always looks on the bright side. It can build self-esteem, increase happiness, boost confidence, raise the feeling of being in control, and help kids make friends. In addition, positive self-talk can build resiliency and help people bounce back from hardships.

At GLAD House, we have used many techniques to teach the kids the importance of positive self-talk, as well as ways they can utilize it in their daily lives. Many of the kids report that they use positive self-talk often as one of their coping skills.

We have been teaching our kids the importance of using positive self-talk to help them focus attention, remember directions, ignore distractions, and to stay on task.

Our kids are being taught how to ignore the distractions of their peers when they are acting out or unable to control their impulses. The kids were taught the skills to help them maintain attention and stay focused in any situation when they are difficulties concentrating. They also were given skills practice by repeating positive words to themselves, when they feel like giving up.

Self-talk is a developmentally appropriate strategy that they can use to help themselves be great listeners and feel more confident about themselves. Our kids are now redirecting their own thoughts to use positive words when they are in a negative mood, and have learned how their moods have different effects on how they feel!

At GLAD House the kids hear words of encouragement daily. For the Art Show, each petal on this flower represents an example of positive self-talk that our kids use to empower themselves!

For this easy and beautiful wall art, you will need:

Large roll of green butcher paper

Cardstock of various colors

White paper

Scissors

Markers

Glue

Instructions:

1. Trace your child's handprint onto colored cardstock

2. Have your child decorate the hand with a positive phrase they can say to themselves

3. You will need about 30 decorated hands

4. Help your child cut the hands out

5. Arrange hands into a flower shape by beginning with the center hand first, then gluing the next layer to the back of the center hand in a circle arrangement

6. Continue arranging and gluing hands in layers

7. Cut a stem and leaf shape out of the large green butcher paper

8. Glue the stem to the flower arrangement

"We are each unique and beautiful, but together we are a masterpiece!"