The Optimistic Child: A Proven Program to Safeguard Children Against Depression and Build Lifelong Resilience

I had a great childhood. I wasn’t completely spoiled but all my physical and emotional needs were met. I can’t recall any tragic moments or horrible moments. By all objective measures, I had it pretty good.So it surprises me when I notice that my default status is pessimism. In college I dealt with some depression, but I bounced backed from that relatively easily and I definitely built up some good resilience. But no matter what I do or where I am at, I can never seem to shake off this foreboding sense of gloom. Pessimism is my disposition. I don’t like it, but that’s reality for me.Now, I am a husband and a father to some amazing girls, and I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to be optimistic. I want them to be resilient at a younger age. I want them to have courage. I want them to see the world as a place of opportunity and not a big scary place.I have read Seligman before and I wanted to learn more practical ways to bestow optimism in my children. This book is full of great inventories and exercises to help children build optimism and resilience.At the moment, I cannot apply of the material to my children because they are too young. However, I have already begun to incorporate little conversations with my girls every night. These are small steps but they may have a tremendous impact. I think this book is a definite must-read for all parents.

I serve on the board of directors for a health and human services organization that serves the needs of children, youth, and families in crisis. Moreover, I spent six and a half years in residential child care from the ages of 11-18. Throughout my life (I am now a very young 55) I have puzzled over the question of why kids given the same opportunities, within virtually the same environment experience success or failure, normalcy or dysfunction, happiness or despair, joy or hopelessness, in such varying degrees and with what seems like complete randomness. The question is as old as time and more complicated as any multivariable predictive model that one would design to determine which infants are bound for success and happiness.My mother was convicted of child neglect when I was ten years old, this, only months after my father had died of a heart attack. Without a better alternative and my mother's incarceration, I became a ward of the state. Today I hold an MBA and operate a successful consulting practice. My mentors were my caregivers, teachers, coaches, and fellow orphans.This book based upon the work of Dr. Seligman holds, I believe, a very important key to success. Hope or optimism is the thing without which one does not make an effort to change their current state. By starting early in life and teaching our children, youth, and young adults how to take charge of the negative thoughts and influences there is every reason to believe that they will be empowered to take control themselves. This book is prescriptive in how to apply the lessons learned from practical research and how to make a difference in the lives of people of all ages. Easy to read and without the need for a deep understanding of psychological jargon, any parent, mentor, or influencer of young lives can apply the lessons provided here. I have recommended that the therapists, staff, and volunteers at my organization each be provided copies.

This book really encapsulates what I think this the biggest contributing factor to the stigma of mental health. Anyone who wants to improve their mental/emotional state is automatically labelled as broken, even if, like an athlete, they want simply to be healthier rather than simply not sick.Thankfully, the film Pumping Iron showcased the prep for 1975 Mr. Olympia, launching acting careers for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. They heralded a fitness revolution in which Americans grappled with the idea that physical health was more than simply the absence of sickness. Sadly, we have yet to have such a mental health revolution.“Psychologists spend 99% of their time helping troubled people become normal. The National Institute of Mental Health should really be called the National Institute of Mental Illness: almost their entire budget goes to underwriting help for the severely troubled. Almost no money has been devoted to helping normal people reach their fullest potential and live better than normal lives.”This book has the potential to be the missing cultural revolution of our time, the revolution of mental fitness. It’s brilliant. The inoculation of children against depression could be the beginning of a new era in our society in which we recognize that mental health is a unique journey for everyone, including those with serious debilitating diseases, but not limited to people are who ill and inclusive of everyone who wants to improve their mental/emotional states to achieve a more perfect mind/body union.

Prof. Seligman is one of the Deans of American psychotherapy and a founder of the cognitive-behavioral method of psychotherapy. His interest in kids is obvious--as well as is his experience.The theory revolves around several basic concepts. At its most basic, What you think and what you do equals how you feel. Prof. Seligman's method is designed to help children not draw inaccurate inferences (cognitions) from events and behavior (for example, "I'm a jerk" if someone does not play with you.) He correctly notes that optimism and hopefulness are just as learned as is depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, and drugs (psychopharmacology therapy) are the two main treatment modes with demonstrated positive results.The method itself is quite simple and is very useful to children, families, parents, and adults who work with children. I have given this book to parents and coaches. However, the writing itself is more complicated than the theory--I suppose a Dean of psychotherapy is entitled--so readers will have to work at extracting Seligman's nuggets. It's worth the time, no doubt.

Excellent book, useful advice for raising resilient children. More recommended for parents of 6yo+

one of the best books I've read. period.

As a psychologist, social worker and mother of 2 I can easily say: This is the most important book to read!

Great for parents, educators and any one wanting to raise the vibration of planet earth. These are pratical steps that can bring an awareness to self talk and these can be applied very simply to children as well.

Great book