Use the power of “YET” when your child starts to doubt themselves and their ability to learn.
As the first month of school gets underway, your child might be having some doubts about how this year will go. Their mindset might not be as positive as you hoped. They may be making some negative predictions on how they think this year is going to go because of what happened last year.
If your child is a middle school or high school student, they might be thinking… “I just kinda slipped by last year and didn’t really get most of what they taught me.” Maybe they got several D’s or maybe even failed a class and they have to take it over.
If your child is an elementary student and the school grades your child on a scale of 1-4; maybe they ended last year with lots of 1’s and some 2’s.
So now...their mindset is shifting from a positive one to a negative one because last year ended on a sour note.
In this Facebook LIVE below I share one way you can Speak LIFE into any negative comments your child might be saying as they start this school year.
What negative comments might you hear:
I can’t do this…
I don’t understand this…
Nobody likes me at school…
I’m never going to get this…
This is just TOO hard for me…
When will I ever use this in life…
I’m haven’t connected with my teacher…
I don’t think the teacher likes me…
I can’t concentrate…
Why study...I’m just going to get a bad grade…
And the list goes on
USE THE POWER of the word “YET” with your child.
Put the word “YET” at the end of their comment when it’s something negative about themselves or what they think they are going to learn this year. So here’s how some of the negative statements above would sound with the word “YET”.
I can’t do this… (YET)
I don’t understand this…(YET)
Nobody likes me at school…(YET)
I’m never going to get this… (You don’t get this (YET))
I’m haven’t connected with my teacher…(YET)
I don’t think the teacher likes me…(YET)
I can’t concentrate…(YET)
Here’s a poster or card that I use with the students I support at TASK or in schools who have negative comments about what they think they will learn in reading or writing. Of course you can apply this same concept to math, public speaking, making friends, music, art, P.E., lunch, recess, history etc.
Below you can download a blank template of this poster and use it with your child the next time they have something negative to say about school and what they think they can learn. Have them write out those things they can’t do YET. And set some goals and talk out how you can support your them in turning those negatives to YETS...and then to YESES!
