Page 32 - SB-Jeff the Monkey

If like Jeff, they tell themselves, “It would be just too awful if I try and fail so I just won’t try,” they are trying to protect their “Perception of Self .” We “Protect” ourselves from the discomfort of anxiety by “devaluing” what we are anxious about... “I really did not want to be a cheerleader,” “Math is stupid so why bother” and on and on.
It is okay to fail at a task if you have really given it your best attempt. Focus less on the perfection of effort, the A+, the team scoring leader and concentrate on the courage it took to try, even if you were less than the best. Even if you “failed,” you had the courage to try. Tenacity is a better indicator for success in life than athletic prowess or intelligence.
Spend some time on the highlighted irrational beliefs so that your child will grasp their importance. Changing “Jeff Beliefs” can go a long way to improving their school experience and most of life‘s experiences.
29