How to encourage the "I can't" child

In the months since we launched Seize the Bug and our Adventure Books I’ve noticed there are two types of kids. Those that can’t wait to get their hands on them and start filling page after page with their drawings, words and ideas. And those that simply say “I can’t”. I can’t draw! I can’t write! I can’t create a story! I’m going to focus on the latter in this post.

From my experience these kids are afraid of failure, scared that they will make a mistake, or lack confidence in their abilities. When I encounter an “I can’t” child I like to remind them that mistakes and failure are part of the learning process. I reassure them that I know it’s not fun to make a mistake, but it perfectly fine and normal. Often it helps to give an example of something that I had recently failed at, such as burning our dinner when trying a new recipe. I remind them that they didn’t used to know how to walk, or run. Like anything else it takes taking a chance and then more practice.

Once the child is feeling more comfortable I’ll start asking questions about their story using the previous post I wrote as a guide. At this point I’m not asking them to write or draw anything. It’s just a discussion about who the characters are, where it takes place, etc. I’ll dig in to get details…What are the characters wearing? Hows the weather? At this point they are invested and I find that they start to get excited about the story.

I’ll ask if they prefer to start with writing or drawing. Usually they say drawing. I’ll remind them of the details they mentioned in our discussion earlier to make the imagery more interesting. Be sure they leave room for the story! Once the drawings are completed we will start back at the beginning and write out the story. Especially for younger kids, I don’t worry about misspelled words. However, if they ask how to spell something, I usually will help if I can see frustration in their eyes. Don’t forget about most kids’ favorite part, the cover! They should write their name so they get credit for their effort.

In the end they will be so proud of their accomplishment! Let us know how this works for your child.