Mental Health and Wellbeing News

This week we will look at the importance of developing positive self-talk skills in our children.

Self-Talk

Self-talk is speaking to oneself either inside the head (covertly) or out loud (overtly). It involves statements that are made to oneself rather than to others, usually for self-regulation rather than communication.

This internal dialogue can be positive or negative. They often express thoughts, beliefs, values, and attitudes about the world and about ourselves.

Self-talk is a central aspect of our mental health. It is associated with higher mental functions, including reasoning, problem-solving, planning, paying attention, and being motivated^​​.

Positive self-talk is when you talk to yourself in a positive way, also known as encouraging words or positive mantras. It is important because it helps children perform at their best even in challenging situation. 

Having positive self-talk is related to higher self-esteem in children. Children who have more positive narratives tend to have less irrational, negative thoughts and fewer depressive symptoms. Talking positively to oneself seems to have a greater impact on self-esteem, rational thinking, and mood than negative talk^​.

Positivity promotes a child’s confidence and reduces their anxiety^​.

Children who speak positively about themselves are more likely to believe in themselves. They develop a more positive outlook on life. Even in difficult situations, they learn to look past their mistakes, focus on what they have to offer, and how to do better next time.

Positive interactions and statements made by significant people in a child’s life are related to high self-esteem and positive thoughts.

^​One great way to nurture positive inner talks is to include more positive comments about your child, provide more positive interactions in daily lives, and not focus on the negative things.

Encourage them to write, draw, and share any positive things in their lives as a daily practice. For example, helping another person pick up what they have dropped is kindness. Telling the truth is honesty. Sometimes children get into a negative self-talk trap. Using phrases such as “I’m stupid,” “I’m never going to be good at math,” or “Everyone but me can handle this.”, they are talking down to themselves.

Teach children positive thinking skills by replacing negative thinking patterns with positive phrases^​

Have your child practice doing it.

Here are some examples.

Replace “I cannot do” with “I will do my best.”

Replace “I am so stupid” with “I am patient and hardworking.”

Replace “I don’t like myself” with “I accept and love myself just the way I am.”

When they hear themselves veer into negative thinking, say “Stop. Stop,” and then replace it with a positive one.

The new coping skill requires consistent practice, but it is a truly effective strategy.

Once again if you have any queries or require further information do not hesitate to contact me.

Deb Owens

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader