Creative Child March 2018 | Page 35

• Remind them of their superpowers. Having a stub- born streak will land strong-willed children in hot water. It comes with the territory. However, when they are reprimanded repeatedly, they can devel- op a negative view of themselves. “How come I’m always the one getting in trouble,” you may have heard your strong-willed child say. It’s impera- tive for your strong-willed child to view their te- nacious streak as a strength as well, and that they do indeed possess a superpower they need to learn to harness. To illustrate this, I have leaned on Elsa, the Disney ice queen. Before learning how to har- ness her powers, she used them clumsily. But once she knew how to harness it, her powers became a thing of beauty and good. In the process of teach- ing your child how to harness her superpowers, it’s also important not to compare your child to a more easy-going sibling or friend, who possesses inherently different qualities and propensities al- together. 34