The Danish Way of Parenting – ‘R’ for Reframing
Danes teach their children to ”Reframe” early on in life. This helps them grow up to be naturally better at it as adults. Being a master at Reframing is a cornerstone of resilience.
Danish people don’t pretend that negativity doesn’t exist. They just point out, in a rather matter-of-fact way, that another side also exists, one that you may never have even considered thinking about. They choose to focus on the good in people instead of the bad. Focusing on the less negative aspects of a situation and finding a middle ground reduces anxiety and increases well-being.
Here are some pieces of advice found in the book in relation to Reframing:
- Pay attention to your own negativity.
- Everything we see and say negatively about ourselves, our family, and our anxieties and fears passes directly onto our kids… Reframing is helping a person to shift focus from what he thinks he can’t do to what he can do. Consider the following: “I am a terrible writer!” turned into “I am a pretty decent writer, once I get in the zone!”.
- Use less limiting language. No more “I hate this, I love that, I always, I never, I should, I shouldn’t“… Limiting language leaves little room to manoeuvre.
- Rewrite your child’s narrative to be more loving. Try focusing on the positive side of your child’s behaviour so they feel appreciated for their uniqueness rather than labeled negatively.
- Use supportive language. Help your child identify the emotions behind their actions and let them find their own solutions.
- Use humour, that always works!
Once again, some food for thought 😊.
Madame Pilote
Important reminders
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Playgrounds
The moment our students have all been waiting for!!! We are pleased to inform our community that our playground equipment will be made available to students as of tomorrow morning (Wednesday 10 June) from 8:30AM. Additional cleaning measures have been put in place to ensure everyone’s the safety. A reminder that under the current restrictions, children are NOT permitted on the equipment before and after school. Once again, thank you for your understanding.