Behavior Makeover: Overperfectionism

Makeover Results
All behavior makeovers take hard work, constant practice, and parental reinforcement. Each step your kid takes toward change may be a small one, so be sure to acknowledge and congratulate every one of them along the way. It takes a minimum of twenty-one days to see real results, so don't give up too soon. Remember that if one strategy doesn't work, another will. Write your child's weekly progress on the lines below. Keep track of daily progress in your Makeover Journal.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Resources

"I Think I Can, I Know I Can!" by Susan Isaacs and Wendy Ritchey (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989). A wonderful guide to help raise confident, secure kids who can overcome fears and bounce back from mistakes.

Fortunately, by Remy Charlip (New York: Macmillan, 1987). An absolute must for young readers. It's a model on turning your "unfortunates" into "fortunates." Ages 5 to 9.

Nobody Is Perfick, by Bernard Waber (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1971). A young boy finally realizes through much trial and error that nobody is "perfick," including himself! Ages 5 to 8.

Nobody's Perfect, Not Even My Mother, by Norma Simon (New York: Albert Whitman & Co., 1981). The message comes through loud and clear in this story: it's okay not to be perfect because no one is. Ages 5 to 8.

Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days! by Stephen Manes (New York: Bantam-Skylark, 1991). Milo finds a book at the library on "how to be the perfect person!" He follows the directions carefully and finally learns the message in the end: "Being perfect is boring! Besides you're already perfect just being yourself!" Ages 8 to 12.

Mistakes That Worked, by Charlotte Foltz Jones (New York: Doubleday, 1991). A series of short stories describing over forty inventions that were all discovered by accident, including Silly Putty, ice cream cones, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, Velcro, aspirin, Frisbees, and even X-rays. Ages 9 to 12.

Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good? by Miriam Adderholdt-Elliott (Minneapolis, Minn.: Free Spirit Publishing, 1987). Discusses the dangers of being a perfectionist and has wonderful tips on easing up on oneself, gaining control over life, and getting professional help when needed. Ages 11 to 13.

From No More Misbehavin' by Michele Borba, Ed.D. Copyright © 2003 by Michele Borba. All rights reserved. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Buy the book at www.amazon.com.