How to Make This New Year Your Child’s Best Yet!
As one year ends and another begins, it’s natural to reflect on the challenges and victories of the past twelve months. Raising a neurodivergent child can often feel like navigating a labyrinth of ups and downs, leaving many parents focusing on struggles instead of strengths.
But here’s the good news: You can shift that mindset.
One of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves and our kids is to adopt a strength-based, talent-focused approach to the new year. This means intentionally focusing on what we (and our children) excel at, what lights us up, and what makes us unique. It’s about celebrating growth, curiosity, and accomplishment instead of dwelling on where we fall short.
Why Strength-Based Thinking Matters
Our brains are wired to notice what’s wrong—it’s a survival mechanism. But in a world that often emphasizes “fixing” instead of flourishing, it’s easy to get stuck in a deficit-based mindset.
For children, this shift toward strengths is even more critical. Early intervention and an intentional focus on their talents can exponentially alter their developmental trajectory, helping them spend less time struggling in areas where they don’t shine and more time thriving in spaces where they do. By highlighting their unique abilities and fostering a sense of success early on, we set the stage for stronger self-esteem, a love of learning, and the ability to navigate life’s challenges with confidence.
Here’s the truth: When we focus on our strengths, it changes the way we feel, think, and even learn. Positive reinforcement releases those all-important neurotransmitters—dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—that make us feel good, connected, and motivated. For children, who are forming their sense of self, this focus on strengths can mean the difference between a life defined by struggles and one filled with purpose and success.
On the flip side, constant focus on deficits brings about negativity, making it hard for kids to imagine success or joy. It reinforces feelings of inadequacy and can keep them from reaching their full potential.
Let me just come right out and say it: We live in a strength-based world and a deficit-based education system. At the end of the day, nobody cares how bad someone is at something—it’s all about how good they are at what they excel in. Unfortunately, we spend so much time steeping our kids in their deficits that it does lifelong harm. It hurts them personally and hurts us as a society, because these bright young minds never get the chance to fully develop their talents into treasures that could enrich us all.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t spend much time wondering how good Simone Biles is at poetry. Or how good Amanda Gorman is as a gymnast. Their incredible contributions come from their strengths, not their weaknesses—and the same is true for your child.
This section now ends with a bold and memorable statement that emphasizes the harm of deficit-based thinking while illustrating the power of strength-based focus through relatable examples. Let me know if you’d like to tweak the examples or phrasing further!
How to Start the Year with Strength-Based Momentum
As we step into a new year, take time as a family to reflect on your strengths, accomplishments, and the moments that brought you joy. Here’s a quick exercise to help shift into a positive mindset:
Ask your family these questions:
• What are you most proud of from this past year?
• What’s something new you accomplished that you couldn’t do before?
• Did you make a meaningful connection with someone special?
• What was a challenge you overcame, and how did you grow from it?
• What’s one thing you learned this year that excited you or changed your perspective?
Discussing these questions together can spark meaningful conversations and build a foundation for focusing on strengths in the year ahead.
The Power of Your Perspective
Remember: Where the mind goes, your energy flows.
When you model strength-based thinking for your child, you teach them to value their own unique qualities and contributions. As parents, this starts with giving yourself grace. You’re already doing something incredible simply by being here, seeking resources, and prioritizing growth for your family.
At Young Scholars Academy, we understand how important it is to create an environment where neurodivergent children thrive. Our strength-based approach connects families to mentors, classes, and a like-minded community where every child’s individuality is celebrated.
A New Year of Possibility
As you move into the New Year, take pride in the journey you’re on as a family. You’ve shown resilience, strength, and love, and you deserve to celebrate that.
Let’s make this year the one where your family embraces strengths, fosters curiosity, and builds a future filled with possibility.
Wishing You A Strength-Based, Talent-Focused New Year From Young Scholars Academy!
------
Mr. Sam, MEd, is a growth-minded, two-time Fulbright Scholar and Director of Young Scholars Academy. Mr. Sam is a neurodivergent educator who has ADHD. As an ADHD learner, he has a tremendous understanding of, experience in, and respect for all things related to neurodiverse education.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers strength-based enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old gifted, twice-exceptional, and bright, differently-wired kiddos to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, and thrive under the loving care of mentors!
Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content that they crave. That is happening every day at YSA for nearly 400 families, and it can happen for your family too!
Click Here to explore their classes and community: https://youngscholarsacademy.org/
Bonus- Reel families receive a 10% discount on all classes! Use this code when you register to save 10%: YSAREEL10