Your Child’s Subconscious Mind Believes Every Word You Say

It is a scientific fact that there are two parts of our main brain area. Scientists generally refer to these as the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. The left hemisphere seems to control logical, conscious, rational thought. This “thinking” area is dominant in most adults. The right hemisphere seems to be responsible for creativity, intuition, and imagination. In early childhood this area of the brain seems to be used extensively, but by adulthood it has been tuned out to a great extent. This area also seems to serve as a repository for criticism-whether it comes from others or from ourselves. It tends to believe everything it hears. Some scientists call this right hemisphere the subconscious mind, which is the term we will use here.

Joseph Murphy, author of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, states that our subconscious minds are not capable of logical thought. It can make no judgment. It doesn’t understand true from false. It simply believes and accepts everything it hears when it’s repeated often enough. (It is very primal and instinctual in nature.)

Teaching children to talk to themselves in healthy, positive, self-affirming ways may be one of the most important things we can do for them. It is a tool they can use throughout their lives to create a better reality. Positive self-talk can help children develop self-control, social skills, self-esteem, and even enhance their school performance.

Research is beginning to show that negative thoughts also create health problems. There seems to be a correlation between the thoughts we think about ourselves and our physical body. Some people say an abundance of negative thinking lowers energy and creates stress.

Researchers are now finding that positive self-talk can be used by children and adults at any stage of their lives. However, by beginning early there is less damage to overcome.

It is estimated that between 65-75 percent of all self-talk is negative. Shad Helmstetter, author of What To Say When You Talk To Yourself, states that as much as 77 percent of everything we think is negative. He also estimates that by the time the average person has reached the age of 18 she has been told “No!” more than 148,000 times. Thus, it becomes important to identify your own negative thoughts. Before you can adequately teach your child this concept you must understand and begin to model it yourself.