I do bad in math. The negative tapes roll early and roll right into adulthood. This is easier if you have an only child. Then I ask the parents to take a minute and write down that child's five most satisfying strong points-five things that are just great about him or her. It's fun to watch what happens, especially if a mother and father are there together.
Mom writes one or two strengths, then looks up to try to think of more.
He's peeking at Mom's paper while she's searching the sky for more strong points. He then writes down his unoriginal ideas. Next, we go to writing down that child's most frustrating or aggravating weak points. Suddenly, there's a flurry of activity as Mom and Dad write energetically. So often, we parents know more about what's wrong with our children than what's right.