Encouraging Self-Compassion

We all make mistakes. We all become overwhelmed at times and have difficult moments. Children are no different. As caring adults, we can help young people navigate these situations and emotions in healthy ways by encouraging self-compassion.

Self-compassion is the act of extending understanding, encouragement and compassion to yourself. It is treating yourself the same way you would treat a friend -- especially when you’ve made a mistake or things don’t go quite the way you planned. If a young person practices self-compassion, it may help them reduce anxiety and promote a higher sense of self-worth.

Ways to help foster self-compassion include:

• Encourage kind self-talk rather than self-criticism.
• Teach mindfulness, being in the moment and awareness of thoughts, feelings and what’s happening around them.
• Remind them that everyone experiences difficult moments. Ask them how they would treat or speak to someone else who is going through something and encourage them to treat themselves the same way.
• Focus on things that are going right, rather than only considering what is going wrong.
• Model the behavior by being compassionate to yourself and discussing your own experiences.

For more information on the importance of self-compassion in young people and how to help foster it, take a look at this article from the Growing Up Healthy blog published by American Family Children’s Hospital and the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.