One

This is a great book for teaching kids to stand up for one another.  It is about the role of the bystander.  When kids stand by and watch other kids get bullied, they are as culpable as the person doing the bullying behavior.  (I try to avoid using the word bully)  It is very harmful to their self esteem to watch and not help.  Lots of people have stories from their past about someone they wish they had stood up for, and they are very sorry that they didn't. 



Super Flex and The Unthinkables

This is the second book that I used.  It is called SuperFlex and The Unthinkables.  This is more like a story blook with characters.  Super Flex is the one that helps everyone when they are being attacked by The Unthinkables.  There are fourteen unthinkable behaviors.  They are Rock Brain (inflexible), Glass Man (throws fits),  Mean Jean (bossy and mean), Wasfunnyonce (silly when it is serious time and tells the same jokes over and over), DOF TheDestroyer of Fun (too competitive, ruins the game), One-Sided Sid (always has to talk about himself), The Un-Wonderer (never asks anyone questions about them), Topic Twister Meister (always brings the subject to what he wants to talk about), Worry Wall (always stressed), Brain Eater (distracted by video games, computer, and TV),  Space Invader (gets too close and too touchy), Energy Hare-y (hyper), Body Snatcher (gets people to wander away from the group), and Grump Grumpaniny (always negative, never positive).

I was concerned that this is a way for kids to call each other names, and I am going to watch that closely.  It is important to refer to them as behaviors.  Again, I have been very surprised about how much the kids have absorbed all of this.  It has been surprising for the kids to realize that some of their behaviors are not endearing.  Some kids think it is funny to be hyper.  They seem surprised to learn that this is UNEXPECTED and UNCOMFORTABLE.   Anyway I think it is worth the time to post about it.  My kids are always looking for new ideas to help with their kids.  This stuff seems to be pretty effective. 

We are Social Detectives

At long last I have inspiration for a new post.  I have learned of a new curriculum that I have been teaching the kids.  At first I resisted it, because it seems rather silly, and I was afraid it would not click, but I was Oh, so wrong!!  There is a lot of material available, but I just used two of the books.  The first one is called Social Detective.  It discusses Social Smarts.  It introduces the idea that people are watching us and our behaviors.  They notice when we do things that are "EXPECTED" and "UNEXPECTED".   When we do things that are "EXPECTED", people are COMFORTABLE with us, and they have good feelings about us, AND we have good feelings about our self because we are doing expected behaviors.  When we do things that are "UNEXPECTED", people are UNCOMFORTABLE, and they don't want to be around us.  Also, we don't have good thoughts about our selves because we are making people feel uncomfortable.  THE KIDS REALLY SEEM TO GET IT!!  "Unexpected" is a perfect word!  It gives everyone a word to use when maybe they want to say "inappropriate" or "unacceptable" and those words seem too negative.  Kids want to argue about the fact that someone throwing a fit is what is expected of that person because they do it every day.  The answer is that throwing a fit is STILL unexpected behavior.  It might be typical or common or even expected of that person, but it is STILL "Unexpected" behavior.  The great thing is that the teachers and all of the adults in the school love it too.  They are using it with their spouses and their kids.  If you have someone in your life that you have trouble communicating with about their behaviors, give it a try.  Really, if we are doing things that make people feel uncomfortable, we probably want to know.  This is a way that makes it easier to digest.

 

HAPPY ST. Patrick's Day!!

Thanks to our office for helping me be a better Gramma.  They gather great ideas from Pinterest, and then I just copy and mail.

Too bad that Relief Society's Birthday got lost in the green of it all!

Happy Birthday Jenn!!

Cuddle Time!

Breakfast in Bed!  Thanks Kate!

            Jennifer Laura Lewis Cunningham turns 33 years young this morning!  We are so happy she is part of our family!  Love you cutie!  Hope it is a fun day with your darling family.