Do your kids or students hide what they love, copy what everyone else is doing, or put themselves down when they feel different? How to Help Kids Be Themselves is a Building Character workbook for ages 8 to 12 that helps kids understand what makes them unique, why being themselves can feel hard, and how to grow the confidence to stay true to who they are.
This workbook is printed and shipped by Amazon. Order the paperback on Amazon.
The workbook was written by Tammy Roose, an upper elementary teacher and the creator of Tarheelstate Teacher, and is adapted from her Individuality & Self-Confidence SEL Unit for upper elementary classrooms.
NOTE: This 79-page paperback is written for kids to work through on their own or alongside a parent or teacher. If you are teaching self-acceptance to a whole class, the Individuality & Self-Confidence SEL Unit covers the same topic with 20 days of lesson plans and Google Slides (digital download only).
Through reading passages, scenarios, sorting activities, and journal prompts, kids practice what to say and do when they feel pressure to fit in, including how to respond to a situation that challenges their individuality, how to flip a self-doubting thought into a confident one, and how to take small acts of confidence that lead to bigger changes.
WHY PARENTS LOVE THIS WORKBOOK
- A Variety of Engaging Activities in One Book: Reading passages, sorts, scenarios, an advice column, a peer interview, quote reflections, and creative projects like Uniquely Me!, My True Self Symbol, My Confidence Tree, and an Individuality Playlist and Album Cover.
- Kids Can Work On Their Own or With an Adult: Directions are written for kids ages 8 to 12, so they can complete the activities independently or alongside a parent, teacher, or counselor. Children can work from the first page to the last, or skip to the sections that fit what they need right now. The Self-Love Habit Tracker follows a monthly calendar for kids who want to track the small ways they care for themselves over several weeks.
- Tips for the Classroom and for Home: The workbook opens with two pages for adults, Tips for Celebrating Differences & Supporting Individuality in the Classroom and Tips for Celebrating Differences & Supporting Individuality at Home, with ideas for making room for self-expression every day.
- Setting Self-Acceptance Goals that Can Continue After the Workbook: A Self-Love Habit Tracker, a Personal Self-Acceptance Post Reflection & Action Plan, a Personal Self-Acceptance Weekly Goal Reflection, and My Commitment to Self-Acceptance help kids keep practicing self-accepting habits.
- No Right or Wrong Answers: The activities focus on reflection, discussion, and real-world application.
WHAT'S INSIDE THE SELF-ACCEPTANCE WORKBOOK
✨ Section 1: What Makes You, You?: important vocabulary, Reflecting on My Individuality & Self-Acceptance, reflection questions, My Beliefs About Individuality & Being Yourself, Uniquely Me!, and How Others See My Spark
✨ Section 2: The Challenge of Being Yourself: the Standing Out in Chorus story, Honoring Our Individuality Can Be Challenging!, Situations That Challenge Individuality, Standing Strong On My Own, and The Uniqueness Times Advice Column
✨ Section 3: Being Your True Self: Unmasking Me, Confidence Clues, My True Self Symbol, The Courage to Be Me, Peer Interview: Staying True to Yourself, My Support System, and How Being Supported for My Uniqueness Feels
✨ Section 4: Building a Habit of Self-Love: Types of Self-Love, ABCs of Self-Love, Embracing My Uniqueness, Characteristics of Friends Who Show Self-Love, the Self-Love Habit Tracker, Self-Love Mantras, and I Can Think Self-Accepting Thoughts
✨ Section 5: Growing Your Confidence: the Big or Small Acts of Confidence sort, My Small But Mighty Acts, the Standing Tall reading passage, Confidence Boosters, My Confidence Tree, and Flip That Thought: Turning Self-Doubt Into Confidence
✨ Section 6: Carrying Individuality Forward: Individuality Playlist, Individuality Album Cover, Embracing My Extraordinary, an Individuality Choice Board, and My Commitment to Self-Acceptance
✨ Appendix: Recommended picture books about being yourself and reproducible templates
Being yourself isn't always easy, especially when fitting in feels safer than standing out. How to Help Kids Be Themselves helps kids celebrate what makes them unique, speak to themselves with kindness, and make choices that stay true to who they are.
THIS WORKBOOK IS PERFECT FOR
- Parents and caregivers supporting social emotional learning at home
- Teachers and school counselors leading character education lessons
- Homeschool families and after-school programs
CASEL STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
Self-Awareness
- Integrating personal and social identities
- Linking feelings, values, and thoughts
- Experiencing self-efficacy
- Developing interests and a sense of purpose
Self-Management
- Showing the courage to take initiative
- Setting personal and collective goals
Social Awareness
- Recognizing strengths in others
- Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones
Relationship Skills
- Resisting negative social pressure
- Seeking or offering support and help when needed
Responsible Decision-Making
- Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
MORE BUILDING CHARACTER WORKBOOKS
Each workbook in the series follows a similar layout, so kids know what to expect from one topic to the next:
- Telling the Truth & Integrity
- Empathy & Caring About Others
- Being & Getting Motivated
- Having Courage
- Making & Keeping Friends
- Setting Goals
- Showing Responsibility & Making Good Choices
- Growing in Gratitude
- Developing a Growth Mindset
- Conflict Resolution
BOOK DETAILS
- Paperback, 79 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches
- Ages 8 to 12 (grades 3 to 6)
- Author: Tammy Roose
- Publisher: Tarheelstate Teacher Publishing
- ISBN: 978-1968882068
- Available on Amazon: order the paperback here
Copyright © Tammy Roose, Tarheelstate Teacher LLC. The purchase of this workbook gives the buyer permission to reproduce pages for single classroom, home, or small group use only.
