Tips for Preventing a Victim Mentality
When children take on a victim mentality, it becomes a form of defiance, used to avoid taking appropriate responsibility and being held accountable. If left unchanged, the victim mentality can eventually impact your child’s ability to have healthy relationships and to adequately function as an adult.
It is vital that your child learns new skills in order to manage responsibility in the real world. Here are seven steps you can take to empower your child:
Create Gratitude Rituals
Spend time talking about what you’re grateful for every day. Even when you encounter difficult circumstances, role model a grateful attitude.
Silence Negative Thinking
Help your child silence their negative thinking by looking for exceptions to the rule. If they say, “No one ever likes me,” point out people who do.
Face Uncomfortable Emotions
Let them know that emotions are OK but that it’s important to handle those emotions in a socially appropriate manner. Teach them healthy ways to express their feelings and prevent them from hosting their own pity party every time they get upset.
Teach Problem-Solving Skills
Teach your child how to problem-solve. A child who takes action when they face hardship is much less likely to see themself as a helpless victim. Kids with good problem-solving skills can prevent small stumbling blocks from turning into major obstacles.
Help Other People
Helping other people can show your child that no matter how young they are, or no matter what problems they’ve experienced, they have the ability to help someone else.
Teach Assertiveness Skills
Kids with assertiveness skills can speak up and say, “Don’t do that,” or “I don’t like it when you do that.” Empower your child to use their words and you’ll reduce the likelihood that they’ll become a victim.
Role Play Tough Situations
Help your child learn to avoid a victim mentality by showing them how to proactively deal with tough situations. When they realize their choices in responding to tough situations, they’ll be more likely to take positive action.
Coach Benjamin Mizrahi. Educator. Learning Specialist. Family Coach. Father. Husband.
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