COGNITIVE REFRAMING

The book’s title (But Aren't I Lucky That...) is an easy to remember way to reframe negative thoughts. It’s so catchy that kids readily pick it up and start to use it. By saying the word “BUT” after a negative thought you negate it. It discredits what came before. It opens the possibility to have an alternative thought. If that thought is prompted to be positive by the statement “AREN’T I LUCKY THAT…” a more balanced view of the situation can emerge. It doesn’t change what’s real but it does make it easier to accept the difficult situations. In the book, Tiger’s mom illustrates this process when she helps Tiger think through the disappointment that Daddy can’t come to the big game. She does it again when Tiger’s team loses the game.