thank you stuart smalley

So I mentioned that Cha was being one very difficult child not too long ago. She was getting several 'stop and think' signs at school every week and has been overall quite challenging. We tried taking away TV, games, books, riding lessons, girl scout meetings, desserts, etc. and nothing seemed to work. We talked to her about behaving and being a polite, respectful girl but she would respond that she was a bad kid.

Matt was calling her every morning to say hello and talk about the day. He'd tell her to have fun and mention something neat they'd be doing after school and say he'd meet her at the bus. Just positive chit chat. It was good but she was still getting in trouble. On the days when she got a 'stop and think' she'd be practically crying as she got off the bus, as she knew she'd have to tell her dad. One day she left her folder on the bus because she didn't want us to see the bad mark. She lied and told us her teacher didn't give homework so they didn't need to bring their folders home. It took me ten minutes to figure out what happened. We'd talk to her and she would groan that she didn't know how to be good, because she was a bad kid.

We knew we had to break her of that thinking so we pulled a Stuart Smalley on her. Every morning she and I do a little positive affirmation. The first week I tried she was very angry and would turn everything around. I'd ask her to say 'I'm a very good kid.' and she's say she was a bad kid. She's now playing along and enjoying it and I have to say it has made a huge different. She went from 3 time outs a week to none. Woo hoo!!

This is what she says every morning on the drive to school.

My name is Cha
I am smart
I am funny
I am pretty
I know how to behave
I get along well with my friends
People like me
I am going to have a great day!

We'll mix it up and sometimes I will throw in things like 'Tonight we're doing to ice cream after dinner' or 'I am going to the park with K when I get home.' She loves the surprises and I love how she's happy and smiling when she gets out of the car.

So, thank you Stuart Smalley.