Overcoming Challenges - Personal Story Helps Children Cope
When the child becomes a hero who deals with challenges and overcomes them in the story, they internalize an empowering message of capability and receive tools for dealing with difficulties in real life
The Healing Power of Personal Stories
Childhood is full of changes and challenges - from fear of the dark, through jealousy of a new sibling, to concerns about the first day of kindergarten. One of the gentle and effective ways to help children deal with such emotions and challenges is through stories. Especially, a story where the child themselves deals with those same challenges and overcomes them.
When children see "themselves" successfully overcoming fear or difficulty in the story, they internalize an empowering message of capability: if I succeeded in the story, maybe I can succeed in reality too. This creates mental resilience and gives the child tools for dealing with challenges in real life.
Types of Challenges That Can Be Addressed
😰 Fears and Anxieties
Fear of the dark, monsters, doctors, or any other fear. The story can present the child as a hero who overcomes fear and discovers they are stronger than they thought.
👶 Jealousy of a New Sibling
Dealing with the arrival of a new brother or sister in the family. The story can present the child as someone who discovers the benefits of being a big brother.
🏫 Concerns About New Beginnings
Fear of starting kindergarten, school, or moving to a new place. The story can present the child as someone who overcomes their concerns and discovers that change is positive.
👥 Social Difficulties
Difficulties in making friendships, dealing with bullying, or feeling lonely. The story can present the child as someone who succeeds in creating social connections.
How It Works
In a personal book, you can design the plot to fit exactly the challenge the child is experiencing:
Identification with the Character
The child identifies with the character - after all, it's their own character - and thus the literary experience translates into reinforcement in the real world. The story provides the child with a model for coping: they see (through themselves as the hero of the plot) how it's possible to overcome an obstacle, and this gives them confidence to try in real life too.
Giving Words to Emotions
Stories give children words and tools to understand what they feel. When they see in their personal book a character who goes through a similar emotional process to theirs, it validates their emotions and also offers coping methods.
Discussion and Treatment
After reading, the parent can talk with the child: "How did the hero feel? What helped them overcome?" - and thus encourage the child to think about how they themselves can deal with their difficulty.
Practical Examples
Here are examples of how to address different challenges:
Fear of the Dark
A child who is afraid of the dark can become a brave person who lights up the night and drives away monsters. The story can present the child as someone who discovers that darkness isn't really scary, and that their imagination can create good things too.
Concern About Starting Kindergarten
A girl who is concerned about starting the school year can be the heroine of a story about a new student who discovered how fun it is to meet friends in class. The story can present the benefits of kindergarten and ways to create friendships.
Jealousy of a New Sibling
A child who is jealous of the new sibling can be a hero in a story who discovers the benefits of being a big brother. The story can present the responsibility, pride, and love that come with the new role.
Social Difficulties
A child who has difficulty making friendships can be a hero in a story who discovers the right ways to create social connections. The story can present the importance of sharing, mutual help, and accepting differences.
Therapeutic Benefits
💪 Strengthening Mental Resilience
The story strengthens the child's mental resilience and gives them belief in their ability to deal with challenges.
🎯 Developing Coping Skills
The child learns different ways to deal with difficulties and receives practical tools for coping.
💭 Understanding Emotions
The story helps the child understand their emotions and give them words and meaning.
🌟 Strengthening Self-Confidence
Success in the story strengthens the child's self-confidence and gives them belief in their abilities.
Parental Guidance
To maximize the therapeutic benefit of the story, it's important for parents to guide the process:
Identifying the Challenge
The parent needs to identify the specific challenge the child is dealing with and design the story accordingly. This can be a fear, social difficulty, or any other challenge.
Creating an Adapted Story
The story should be adapted to the child's specific challenge. It should present the child as a hero who deals with the challenge and overcomes it.
Shared Reading
Shared reading allows the parent to follow the child's reactions and conduct a conversation about the challenge and coping.
Discussion and Treatment
After reading, it's important to conduct a conversation about the story, the child's emotions, and ways to deal with the challenge in real life.
Long-term Impact
Using personal stories to deal with challenges affects the child in the long term:
Developing Mental Resilience
The child develops mental resilience that allows them to deal with future challenges. They learn they can overcome difficulties and succeed.
Developing Coping Skills
The child develops coping skills that can help them throughout life. They learn different ways to deal with difficulties.
Strengthening Self-Confidence
Success in dealing with challenges in the story strengthens the child's self-confidence and gives them belief in their abilities.
Developing Empathy
The child develops empathy towards others who deal with similar challenges. They learn to understand and help others.
Tips for Creating a Therapeutic Story
🎯 Focus on the Specific Challenge
Make sure the story focuses on the specific challenge the child is dealing with. This will help them connect to the story and benefit from it.
💪 Present the Child as a Hero
Present the child as a hero who deals with the challenge and overcomes it. This will strengthen their self-confidence.
💬 Encourage Conversation
Encourage conversation about the story and the child's emotions. This will help them understand and process the experience.
🔄 Repeat the Story
Repeat the story again and again. This will help strengthen the therapeutic messages.
Start Helping Your Child Deal with Challenges
Make the child a hero who deals and succeeds, and see how they develop mental resilience and coping skills
Create Therapeutic Story Now