positive self-talk | Magination Press Family

Nurture Your Child’s Inner Optimist

Managing emotions March 24, 2022 4:12 pm

March is National Optimism Month You might think your child has a sunny or gloomy personality. You might describe them as an optimist or pessimist. But optimism isn’t a disposition someone is born with. It’s a learned skill, and it’s an important factor in determining a person’s level of happiness. Magination Press has several books about optimism, positive psychology, and positive self-talk. Celebrate National Optimism Month by sharing these books with your child. Help build their sense of optimism and positive thinking skills. What to Do When You Grumble Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Negativity by Dawn Huebner, PhD What to Do When You Grumble Too Much guides children and their parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques used to treat negative thinking. Lively metaphors and illustrations help kids see life's hurdles in a new way, while drawing and writing activities help them master skills to get over those hurdles. And step-by-step instructions point the way toward becoming happier, more positive kids. This interactive self-help book is the complete resource for educating, motivating, and empowering children to work toward change. It includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers by the author. “Dr. Huebner has a gift for describing abstract issues in simple, concrete terms…a unique resource that helps children practice how to think differently. Highly recommended.” —Carina Ziemek, MA, school counselor See other books in the What to Do Guides for Kids Series. A Feel Better Book for Little Tears by Holly Brochmann and Leah Bowen This rhyming book will help kids identify what it feels like to be sad and what they can do to respond to it. It offers suggestions such as talking about what makes you feel sad, imagining happy things, or crying as a way to let the emotion out. The book lets kids know that it's perfectly normal to feel sad — but offers a gentle reminder that the feelings won't last forever. A Note to Parents and Caregivers provides guidance about how to help children respond to strong feelings of sadness. “Brochmann and Bowen have provided readers with the tools to help their kids get through their first bouts of sadness.” —BookTrib Read an excerpt from the Note to Parents and Caregivers. Hear A Feel Better Book for Little Tears read aloud. See other books in the Feel Better Books for Little Kids Series. Grow Happy Jon Lasser, PhD and Sage Foster-Lasser Grow Happy shows kids that they can play a pivotal role in creating their own happiness. The main character, Kiko, shows the reader how she grows happiness: by making good choices, taking care of her body and mind, paying attention to her feelings, problem solving, and spending time with family and friends. A Note to Parents and Other Caregivers provides more strategies for helping children learn how to grow happiness. “In Grow Happy, the authors help children to think metaphorically about growing happiness in a variety of strategic ways. This is a fun and meaningful way for children to learn

Fantastic You!

Uncategorized May 14, 2020 3:30 pm By Danielle Dufayet

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There's a special person you are going to be with your whole life. Can you guess who? When you feel sad, disappointed, or frustrated, who is always there to cheer you up or encourage you? YOU! It's important to take care of yourself: talk kindly, be patient with, and forgive yourself. Hear author, Danielle Dufayet read her book, Fantastic You!, aloud. Click here to read an excerpt from the Note to Parents and Caregivers in Fantastic You! Dr. Julia Martin Burch provides guidance about helping children learn self-care skills.

Fostering Resilience in the Time of COVID-19: Tips for Helping Your Child

Practicing Mindfulness April 7, 2020 10:00 am By Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D.

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Resilience—the ability to bounce back from a difficult situation—this isn’t just something people are born with. Dr. Wendy Moss, author of Magination Press book, Bounce Back: How to Be a Resilient Kid, provides kids with exercises and strategies to build resilience. During this especially challenging time, the chapters about handling decisions, disappointments, and new challenges and about coping with unchangeable situations can be useful. In this blog post, Dr. Moss offers insights and tips to help your child cope with the stress and life changes created by the COVID-19 pandemic. A few months ago, most of us could not have anticipated the changes in lifestyle and the way COVID-19 could infiltrate our communities and cause fear, illness, and even death. So, how can we support children as they try to cope with staying home, not being in school or in extracurricular activities, not being able to follow their favorite sports teams, not seeing friends, and possibly knowing that all these changes are due to the presence of a dangerous virus? This blog provides strategies to help children deal with the general stresses created by the pandemic, not specific situations such as someone they know being ill with or having died from the virus. Focus On Yourself Children often judge whether a situation is scary, out-of-control, or manageable by watching and listening to trusted adults. As you read some of the tips to help your children, try them on yourself first so you can convey that you are able to cope with this situation that is out of your control. Support Your Child Casually talk with your children about their understanding of, and feelings about, what is happening in their world. Talk to each child individually since the conversation may end up being different depending upon their age and personality. They may have inaccurate information that makes it even more scary. Let your children know what you and your family can do and are in control of (e.g., staying home; proper hygiene) and that grown-ups have a plan to deal with the virus, even though it will take time. Just make sure that you believe what you say before reassuring your child! Ask how your children feel about the changes in their daily activities. Some children may not be anxious because they like the extra time at home. However, some children are overwhelmed by the change in their regular routine and their fears of illness. Just being able to share these feelings can be a relief for many children. This time at home can be an opportunity. Ask your kids to share their ‘wish list’ of family activities. You can also add some. Having everyone at home can be a great time to play games, teach each other about interests, tell stories about ancestors, or make up silly stories. Since we must physically distance ourselves from each other, this is a great time to look for creative ways to connect or reconnect with friends or family. Encourage your child to

positive self-talk: 4 Articles

Nurture Your Child’s Inner Optimist

Fantastic You!

Fostering Resilience in the Time of COVID-19: Tips for Helping Your Child