The Big Truth

A small conversation that revealed a big truth

Elfin Ng
November 03, 2025

Lately, as I become more aware of the roots of our own limiting beliefs through conversations with my inner child, I find myself increasingly drawn to observe the conversations of the children at our studio.

What they say often reveals something powerful — it’s like witnessing the very beginning of how a person’s limiting beliefs are formed.

Let me share a story that touched my heart deeply.

Before coming to the studio, R’s mum texted me saying,

“R keeps saying he wants to go down. He misses drawing. Haha.”

R is 5 years old, and that day he wanted to paint Pikachu.
When I asked if he knew how to draw Pikachu, he immediately replied, “No.”

But as I gently held his hand and guided him step by step — breaking the drawing into simple shapes — he was able to follow along beautifully.

While painting, I asked,
Me: “What is Pikachu doing here?”
R: “Pikachu has power and can fight!”

Me: “Wow… did he win?”
R: “Cannot… his power is not strong. There’s a bad Pikachu who’s even more powerful.”
Me: “Can this good Pikachu go and learn to improve his fighting skills?”
R: “Cannot…”
Me: “Can good Pikachu get help from someone stronger to help him fight the bad Pikachu?”

For some reason, he suddenly changed the topic —
R: “I am scared of caves.”
Me: “Why are you in the cave?”
R: “I see this in TV.”
Me: “Oh… did you dream that you were in the cave?”
R: “Yes, and I can’t see inside the cave and I can’t get out.”
Me: “Okay… actually, our eyes are amazing. When it’s very dark, we just need to rest a little, and they’ll adjust to help us see.”

We didn’t continue the conversation after that and went back to finishing his painting.

Later, I shared my observation with his mother — how our conversation revealed his lack of confidence.
She told me that R tends to reject things before even trying, which also shows up when he’s learning to read. She’s worried, as he still struggles to read.

I gently shared with her,

“Let’s work together to help R build his confidence. With R, try not to encourage him by saying ‘You can do it!’ before he even starts. Don’t push him to try. Instead, gently show or guide him, and give him space to observe and learn. When he finally finds the courage to try — even with just a small attempt — praise him for that one little effort. Keep doing this consistently, and he will grow in confidence.”

By the end of the session, R held up his painting of Pikachu with pride — a small but powerful step forward. His journey continues… and so does the quiet work of rebuilding his belief in himself.

✨ Every child’s words and reactions are clues — early seeds of beliefs that will shape their confidence for years to come.
As parents and educators, we have the power to nurture these seeds differently — to break the roots of limiting beliefs before they take hold, and help our children grow strong from within.

If you’ve noticed similar patterns in your child — hesitation, self-doubt, or fear of trying — let’s work together to help them build a healthier, stronger belief in themselves.

💛 Let’s Grow Strong from the stART.

Warmly,
Elfin Ng
stART Studio
Crafting Confidence, One Brushstroke at a Time