“I’m the boss of me!” Have you ever heard your child say these words? I bet you have…and probably with an attitude mixed in! These words can trigger a power struggle in many families as parents’ automatic first thought is often, “Oh no you’re not!” But what if your answer was…. “You’re right! You are the boss of you.” BAM No power struggle … …and a huge teachable moment! All people like to feel powerful and in control – even kids. Children often feel like victims in their lives because they see grownups as having all of the power – their parents tell them what to do; their teachers tell them what to do; their coaches tell them what to do. Teaching your kids how to be the boss of themselves enables them to step into their power, enhance their self-esteem, and build self-confidence. Here are just a couple of tips to share with your kids about being their own boss. 1. First, being the boss doesn’t mean being bossy.
School is in session and that means…GRADES! Whether your children tend to earn A’s, B’s, C’s, or F’s, children often define “who they are” based on the grades they receive. “I’m an A-student” “I’m not very smart” “I’m an average student” It's unfortunate when children identify themselves based on grades, as it can have a detrimental impact on their self-esteem, even for those with a consistent "A" average. This is because receiving an "A" grade may make them feel great about themselves, while receiving a "C" grade may cause them to feel down on themselves. This cycle can create yo-yo self-esteem, as we've noted in earlier articles. The question then arises, how can we talk to our children about grades without having an adverse effect on their self-esteem? The answer lies in viewing grades as feedback. Feedback is the result of an action taken, and it is simply a measure of how well a student has learned the material. Grades do not determine