Self-talk can be helpful for a wide variety of situations. For instance:

• Planning: If you say, “You can have a cupcake after dinner,” your child will tell herself, “First dinner, then a cupcake.”

• Self-Guidance: If you’re calm about your own mistakes and say, “I can try again,” your child will learn it’s okay to fail and say, “I can try again.”

• Self-Regulation: If you say, “You can’t have that toy right now; let’s wait until he’s done,” she’ll tell herself, “Not now. After him.”

• Self-Reflection: If you tell your child, “What a big smile you had when you helped Sam. It looks like helping makes you feel happy,” your child will tell herself, “I feel happy when I help.”