Name:   The Optimistic Child
Author(s)
 
 
Seligman, M
Topics
 
 
Stress Management, Psychological
Source
 
 
Perennial Press ISBN: 0060977094
Copyright
 
 
1996
Description
 
 
The Optimistic Child offers parents and teachers the tools developed in Seligman's study of childhood depression to teach children of all ages life skills that transform helplessness into mastery and bolster self-esteem. Learning optimism not only reduces the risk of depression but also boosts performance in school, improved health, and provides children with the self-reliance they need as they approach adolescence and adulthood.
Average Rating
 
 
Last Updated
 
 
6/7/2005
 
Comments

Contributed by: DITD Team Member  
Rating:
Many parents have found this book to be helpful in understanding their children and teaching them to be more optimistic in their thinking.
 
Contributed by: Parent of Davidson Young Scholar  
Rating:
This is a great book! We have found the information very useful, especially since both of our daughters had very bad school experiences. Their self-confidence hit all-time lows. We have been implementing many of the suggestions in the book. Also, we gave one of our daughters the pessimism/optimism test, which was very telling.
 
Contributed by: Parent of Davidson Young Scholar  
Rating:
This is an excellent book for all parents, but is particularly useful to parents of PG kids, because of their tendency toward perfectionism and (in some cases) social isolation, both of which might exacerbate a tendency toward pessimism (and hence depression). The author's basic premise is that optimism can be learned and that optimistic thinking patterns can be a protector against depression in children and young adults. He also explains his belief that a real sense of self-worth stems from achievement. He believes that one of the great values of learning optimistic thinking is that children are then prepared to handle the reversals, failures, and emotional pain that are a necessary part of life without giving up on their dreams or giving in to despair when things don't go their way.
 
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