1. Start by choosing a main character

• Ask the child: “Who will be the main character in our story? Is it you, an animal, or maybe a superhero?”
• Let the child draw the character on the tablet or imagine them in their mind.

2. Create the character’s world

• Together, imagine where the character lives: “What is their home like? What surrounds them? Draw what it looks like!”
• Encourage adding details: flowers, the character’s favorite food, their favorite place.

3. Describe a normal day

• Begin the story on a positive note: “Tell me what the character does every day. What do they enjoy? What makes them happy?”
• The child can draw scenes separately: morning, playtime, walks.

4. Introduce a problem

• Ask: “What might happen to our hero? Maybe they lost something, got lost themselves, or something scared them?”
• Let the child draw this moment and explain how the hero feels.

5. Discuss the hero’s emotions

• Say: “What do you think the hero is feeling in this situation? Why do they feel that way?”
• Together, draw what fear, sadness, or surprise might look like for the hero.

6. Look for a solution together

• Ask: “What can the hero do to overcome this situation? Who could help them?”
• The child can draw the solution: the hero asking a friend for help, coming up with a plan, or finding something useful.

7. End the story with a success

• Summarize: “What does the hero feel now that everything worked out? What did they learn from this adventure?”
• Let the child draw the hero feeling happy in their world.

8. Reflect on the story

• Ask: “What do you think this story is like? Has something like that happened to you?”
• The child can share their feelings, and this will help you understand them better.

9. Save the story

• Say: “This story is our shared adventure. Let’s save it so we can look at it again or continue it next time.”
• You can print the drawings or save them on the tablet.

10. Praise the child

• Always highlight their effort: “You came up with such a great idea! The hero is so strong and clever—just like you!”

1. Listen, don’t just talk Don’t interrupt your child. Let them express themselves, even if it takes time to find the right words.
2. Avoid immediate criticism Steer clear of phrases like “That’s wrong!” or “What nonsense!”—this can make the child shut down.
3. Open-ended questions For example: “What do you think about that?” or “How do you feel?”
4. Show that you’re paying dialog Put down your phone, make eye contact, nod—let your child feel that you’re truly listening.
5. Speak calmly Even if the child has done something wrong, explain things without yelling. A calm tone builds trust.
6. Don’t judge their feelings Say things like: “I understand that you’re angry” instead of “Don’t be angry.”
7. Explain things clearly Use words your child understands and keep sentences short.
8. Support the conversation with examples For instance: “That happened to me too when I was little.”
9. Praise sincerely Recognize the child’s efforts, even if the result isn’t perfect: “You tried really hard!”
10. Be open to any topic Your child should know they can talk to you about anything—without fear.

Choose one of three answer options:

• A: Always
• B: Sometimes
• C: Never or rarely

1. Do you allow your child to fully express themselves without interrupting?

• A: I always listen attentively.
• B: I listen, but sometimes interrupt.
• C: I often interrupt or finish sentences for them.

2. Do you ask your child about their feelings and thoughts?

• A: I regularly ask and listen carefully to the answers.
• B: I bring up their feelings from time to time.
• C: I rarely or never ask about their emotions.

3. Do you avoid criticism or judgment when talking with your child?

• A: I always try to speak without judgment.
• B: I sometimes criticize, but not often.
• C: I often criticize or judge.

4. Do you explain your requests or remarks clearly and without aggression?

• A: I always explain calmly and in a way that’s easy to understand.
• B: I explain, but don’t always control my emotions.
• C: I sometimes speak harshly or without explanation.

5. Do you maintain eye contact during conversations with your child?

• A: I always look them in the eyes to show dialog.
• B: I get distracted sometimes, but I try to maintain eye contact.
• C: I often get distracted or don’t maintain eye contact at all.

6. Do you encourage your child to ask questions or express their thoughts?

• A: I always encourage this.
• B: Sometimes, but not consistently.
• C: I rarely encourage it or don’t see it as important.

7. Do you notice and praise your child’s efforts, even for small achievements?

• A: I regularly praise their efforts.
• B: I praise them, but don’t always notice the small things.
• C: I rarely or almost never praise them.

8. Are you able to express dissatisfaction calmly without yelling?

• A: I always try to speak calmly.
• B: Sometimes I raise my voice.
• C: I often yell or express dissatisfaction harshly.

9. Do you show your child that their thoughts are important to you?

• A: I consistently emphasize that their opinion matters.
• B: Sometimes, but not always.
• C: I rarely or never point that out.

10. Do you end conversations with your child on a positive note, even after a conflict?

• A: I always try to reconcile and end positively.
• B: Sometimes I resolve the conflict, but not always positively.
• C: I often leave things unresolved or tense.

Scoring:

• A = 3 points
• B = 2 points
• C = 1 point

Results:

• 26–30 points:

You are excellent at communicating with your child! Your attentiveness, understanding, and calm demeanor create an atmosphere of trust and support. Keep up the great work!

• 20–25 points:

Your communication is good, but there is room for improvement. Pay more dialog to truly listening to your child and recognizing their feelings more often.

• 15–19 points:

Your dialogue with your child needs improvement. You may be easily distracted or express emotions too harshly. Focus on patience and offering consistent support.

• Less than 15 points:

There are serious issues in communication with your child. You may be criticizing more than listening or ignoring their emotional needs. Try to create a safe space for open dialogue—start with simple questions and active listening.

1. Emotional release The child can express feelings that are hard to say out loud—such as fear, anger, or sadness.
2. Understanding their own experiences Through the story, the child learns to name their emotions and understand how those emotions affect them.
3. Relief from difficult experiences By talking about traumatic events, the child reduces internal tension and begins to feel relief.
4. A sense of control By telling a story, the child becomes the “author” of their experience, rather than just a victim of events.
5. Creating a positive ending The child can find ways to finish the story on a hopeful note, which helps them feel empowered and optimistic.
6. Building trust The storytelling process strengthens the bond with the adult who listens and provides support.
7. Developing imagination and self-expression Creating a story nurtures creative thinking and gives the child a way to express their experiences in their own language.
8. Exploring solutions In a fictional storyline, the child can try out different ways to solve real-life problems.
9. Reducing fear Problems feel less scary when they can be talked about through play or storytelling.
10. Learning self-reflection skills The child learns to reflect on themselves, understand why they feel certain emotions, and how to live with them.

1. Better understanding of the child Through storytelling, parents learn what worries their child—their fears, emotions, and dreams.
2. Emotional connection Creating a story together strengthens trust and brings parents and children closer.
3. A tool for support It offers a way to help the child cope with difficult events without forcing them to talk directly about pain.
4. A new perspective on the problem Stories often reveal how the child perceives and experiences a situation.
5. A context for conversation Difficult topics are easier to discuss using fictional characters or fairy-tale scenarios.
6. A path to conflict resolution Parents can see where the child feels vulnerable and work together to find ways to help.
7. Reduced family tension Storytelling allows problems to be voiced in a safe way, lowering emotional stress.
8. A sense of involvement in the child’s life Parents become active participants in the process, helping the child feel valued and important.
9. A chance to teach through play Parents can help the child learn how to overcome challenges by modeling this in the story.
10. A more positive view of parenting Shared creativity reminds parents that their support matters and helps them feel proud of their role in their child’s life.

1. Create a safe environment Have the conversation in a quiet space where the child feels protected and comfortable.
2. Start simple Ask an easy question like: “What makes you happy?” or “What was something interesting today?”
3. Use playful formats Drawing, storytelling, and making comics help the child express emotions in a natural way.
4. Suggest starting with a fictional character For example: “Tell me about a hero who experienced something. What happened to them?”
5. Don’t pressure them If the child is silent, that’s okay. Give them time and show that you’re simply there for them.
6. Validate any beginning Say things like: “It’s important that you shared that,” even if it was short or simple.
7. Name possible emotions For example: “It sounds like that might have been scary for you. Was it?”
8. Ask them to describe through images or metaphors “If your feelings were animals or flowers, what would they be?”
9. Be patient Storytelling can take time. The child will open up gradually.
10. Support the ending of the story If the child talks about something painful, help bring the story to a hopeful close: “What would you like to happen next?”

1. Safety and comfort Create a calm and secure environment so the child feels safe and at ease.
2. Kind and gentle tone Speak warmly and avoid criticism or judgment.
3. Let the child be the main author Don’t impose your ideas—allow the child the freedom to express their own thoughts.
4. Use familiar images Incorporate characters or storylines the child knows well: favorite fairy tales, animals, or real-life situations.
5. Encourage emotional expression Ask questions like: “What do you think this character was feeling?” or “What did they want to do next?”
6. Always end on a positive note Support a hopeful ending so the child feels empowered and uplifted.
7. Watch the child’s reactions If the child seems tense or withdrawn, change your approach or take a break.
8. Be patient Don’t rush—the story may need time to unfold naturally.
9. Consider the child’s age and interests Use simple language and age-appropriate themes the child can easily relate to.
10. Help without dominating Offer ideas if the child is hesitant, but let them take the lead.

1. Separation of stages and focus

• Drawing each stage separately helps the child concentrate on a specific moment in the story. This prevents emotional overload and helps manage details step by step.

2. Step-by-step processing of experiences

• Each part of the story reflects a stage of emotional experience. Drawing allows the child to gradually and safely move through difficult situations—from safety to problem-solving.

3. Visualization and distancing

• Images allow the child to project their feelings onto paper and look at them from the outside. This reduces emotional intensity and brings better understanding of the situation.

4. Symbolization and simplification

• Through drawing, the child can express what’s hard to say with words. Colors, shapes, and imagery become symbols of their thoughts and emotions.

5. Creating space for reflection

• Once all the drawings are complete, the child and adult can review them together, discuss changes in the hero’s emotions or events, and highlight positive moments.

6. Strengthening the sense of control

• The child sees how the story is built step by step. This gives them a sense of agency and the ability to influence outcomes and solve problems.

7. Preserving accomplishments

• Each page becomes part of a complete story. It highlights the value of each step and allows the child to feel proud of their work.

8. Flexibility in changing the story

• If the child wants to add or change something in a specific scene, it’s easy to do without affecting the rest of the story.

9. Building a sense of closure

• Drawings on separate sheets give the story a clear structure. When all parts are brought together, it creates a feeling of completion and success.

10. A reminder for self-reflection

• These drawings can be saved as a reminder of how the child overcame a difficult situation. This strengthens their confidence in their own abilities.

1. Easy to correct

• If something doesn’t look right, it can be erased or changed effortlessly.

2. Many tools available

• Colors, brushes, shapes — everything is in one place.

3. Easy to save

• Drawings don’t get lost; they’re stored in one file or folder.

4. You can add details

• It’s easy to modify or expand the story at any stage.

5. Saves paper

• There’s no need to buy lots of paper or paints — everything is already included.

6. Easy to share

• The drawing can quickly be shown to a therapist, teacher, or another adult.

7. A modern approach

• For children, the tablet is a familiar tool, so the process feels engaging and natural.

8. Ability to add multimedia

• You can add text, sound, or even animation to make the story more vivid and interactive.

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the story-building and dialogue structure follows a systematic approach to exploring how thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical sensations interact and influence one another. This method helps individuals — especially children — understand the connection between what they think, feel, do, and how their body responds. Therapists use this framework to help children and adults break down a stressful or upsetting experience into understandable parts. By examining thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical sensations separately, clients begin to recognize patterns and understand how their mind and body respond to triggers.

1. Thought (What are we thinking?)

Explanation: This refers to a belief, perception, or interpretation a person has about a situation. It’s important to identify the specific thought or idea that arises in response to an event. Example: If a child sees a dog running toward them, their thought might be: “The dog is going to bite me,” reflecting fear or an expectation of danger.

2. Emotion (What are we feeling?)

Explanation: These are the feelings or emotional states that result from thoughts. In CBT, it's important to clearly identify and understand these emotions. Example: In this situation, the child might feel fear, anxiety, or even panic in response to the thought of being bitten.

3. Behavior (What do we do or say?)

Explanation: These are the actions or verbal expressions that result from the thought and emotional reaction. Behavior often shows how a person expresses or copes with their emotions. Example: The child might scream, run away, or try to hide in an effort to protect themselves from the imagined threat.

4. Physical Sensations (What happens in our body?)

Explanation: These are physical reactions that accompany emotional and cognitive experiences. Physical sensations are often direct responses to emotional states and may include changes in heart rate, muscle tension, sweating, or other stress-related symptoms. Example: The child might feel their heart racing, palms sweating, or a tightness in the chest when experiencing fear.