A Good Friend to Myself

Watch the video with children and talk about how Rosita was a good friend to herself when she was frustrated about making a mistake. When children are in distress and it’s appropriate, spend a quiet moment with them and invite them to pause to show kindness to themselves. They can close their eyes, belly breathe, put their hands on their heart, and repeat phrases such as: 

• Everyone feels ____ sometimes. 
• Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are a part of learning.  
• I’m a kid who keeps trying. 
• I’ll figure it out. 
• I’m a problem solver. 
• I’m going to try my best to ____.  
• I can be a good friend to myself! 

Try this yourself, too!  

Mindset Matters 

We can all learn and grow in new ways. Rather than believing that we’re born “good” or “bad” at things, we can move toward the idea that all learning and growing requires practice and effort, and we can always look at things with fresh perspectives.  

This kind of mindset is key to mental health because it helps us stay optimistic and confident as we face changes and challenges—and feel less frustrated, more resilient, and more ready to handle problems.