Guest Author - Paula Petrie

Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. author of “Feel the Fear and Do It Any way,” the hugely successful adult confidence-building book has teamed with Donna Gradstein, to bring us “I Can Handle It,” a compilation of 50 stories of self-reliance to empower young children.

The book is based on the popular affirmation,” “Whatever happens to me, given any situation in my life, I will be able to handle it.” I applaud these ladies and give this book two thumbs up.

The use of positive affirmations is a wonderful technique to change negative self-talk into something more positive, and I believe an invaluable mother’s tool. Not to brain-wash baby, but as a healing reminder of a healthful truth.

“The frequent repetition of the affirmation, “I Can Handle It,” can eventually quiet that inner “Chatterbox” that makes us feel insecure, frightened, and weak,“ state the authors. “It is a very powerful tool to help us push through even our worst fears.”

While the dictionary defines an affirmation as the declaration of something that is true. “An affirmation as I am using it here,” says Jeffers “is a strong, positive statement telling us that “All is well:...despite what the negative chatter in our minds may be telling us.”

“I Can Handle It” is full of confidence building stories derived directly from interviews with children. The book is divided into 10 categories, dealing with issues such as fear of the dark, moving, losing a toy, guilt, divorce, etc. each offering clear, simple, and wonderful affirming stories for your child to take to heart.

These affirmations are written as helpful, healing statements designed for you to repeat for your child to counter his or her fears and negativity. They truely can help your child obtain a sense of well being and confidence.

Positive affirmations can also help a child resolve painful feelings, or gain a sense of control. Reaffirming positive statments can even help a child to take risks. This powerful tool is a wonderful benefit to any child.

Through a mothers vigilant repetition of the positive, her child can find a sense of control. This child will have found the power to say, “I can handle it.”

Points to keep in mind when using affirmations to help your child with his or her fears and insecurities include:

Use the present or past tense. Do not use the future tense. You want your child to know it is real and not something that may happen.

Use the most positive terms you can. Never use negatives in affirmations.

Write an affirmation down for your child in simple sentences so your child will remember exactly what positive message you want him or her to remember. You can even personalize it with your child’s name.

Always speak in a strong believable tone. The more your child believes the message, the stronger the affirming power will be.

Being repetitive and persistent will help to set the affirmation in your child’s head and in his or her unconscious mind, such as, “I Can Handle It.”