Post Eight - Echoes of Self-control

Welcome to my eighth blog! This time it is about self-control. You will see creative activities from Aimee, Buddy, Jed, and Cara. They are the main characters in my fifteen stories.

This blog is about my eighth story, "Count, Then Count Again," from my second book, Little Echoes. When children learn self-control, they feel more confident. They get along better with friends, finish their work, and wait their turn.

“Nana’s Heartwarming Tales,” a three-book series, Tiny Whispers, Little Echoes, and Mighty Ripples, is based on the fifteen virtues from

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV. 

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The Bible passage 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a powerful, comprehensive resource for parents and teachers seeking guidance on teaching virtues, values, and positive character traits to children ages 5 to 9.

Little Echoes

Love is…

*Being Friendly

*Being Caring

*Learning Self-Control

*Learning Forgiveness

*Showing Goodness

What is Self-Control and Why is it an Echo?

Self-control is an important skill for children ages 5–9 to learn. You may notice it when a child chooses to stop misbehaving or decides not to roar like an angry lion, and instead works on calming their body and managing their feelings.

When children this age practice self-control, the good choices they make echo to classmates, family, and friends. Over time, those positive behaviors and attitudes begin to echo back to them as others respond with kindness, trust, and respect.

Children are learning self-control when they are:

• Paying attention during stories, lessons, or games and understanding directions and finishing tasks.

•   Calming themselves when they feel upset or frustrated by taking deep breaths or asking for help.

•   Sharing, taking turns, and listening to others.

•   Pausing to consider what might happen before making a choice.

• Waiting for their turn, for a reward, or for an activity to begin, even when it’s hard.

 Enjoy these Enrichment Games, Crafts, and Stories that go with the story, "Count, Then Count Again."   

THE PALS’ Calm-Down Tracing Activities:

Flowers, Bubbles, Swings, and Mountains

When you feel like a fire-breathing dragon, try not to hold onto your anger. Instead, trace and breathe along with Cara, Buddy, Jed, and Aimee.

Calming down after a squabble, a misunderstanding, or a disappointment can be easier when you breathe deeply and finger-trace with The Pals.

Start by finding a flat area to trace your finger on—like a book, a tabletop, or even the floor.

Choose which Pal (Cara, Jed, Aimee, or Buddy) you want to breathe and trace with. Find your pointer finger, turn on your imagination, and smile as you put yourself in control!

Drawing Flower Petals with Cara

1.   Place a finger on a flat surface.

2.   Imagine a large flower, like a daisy, on the flat surface.

3.   Close your eyes.

4.   Breathe in and slowly move your finger to the top of the petal.

5.   Breathe out and slowly move your finger back down to the center of the flower.

6.   Repeat several times, making beautiful flowers with Cara. Imagine the petals blowing in the wind.

Blowing Bubbles with Jed

1.   Touch any finger on a level area.

2.   Imagine you're blowing up and tracing gigantic bubbles with Jed.

3.   Shut your eyes.

4.   Take a deep breath, then breathe out slowly, pretending you're blowing up a huge bubble while tracing the bubble with your finger until it’s ready to pop.

5.   POP the pretend bubble with your finger.

6.   Repeat blowing up jumbo bubbles with Jed until you’re both tired and the bubbles are floating high into the sky.

Swinging with Aimee

1.     Put your pointer finger on any hard surface.

2.   Imagine you’re swinging on a porch swing with Aimee.

3.   Close your eyes.

4.   Breathe in, move your finger upward as you swing toward the sky until your breath tells you that you can’t swing any higher.

5.   Breathe out and slowly move your finger backward until your breath tells you it’s time to swing upward again.

6.   Repeat swinging forward and backward until you and Aimee feel uplifted and cheerful.

Mountain climbing with Buddy

1.     Set one of your fingers down on a worktop, table, or counter.

2.   Imagine you’re climbing up and down mountains with Buddy.

3.   Shut your eyes.

4.   Breathe in and slowly move your finger upward as if you’re hiking toward a mountain top until you and Buddy can go no further.

5.   Breathe out while tracing your finger downward, pretending you're trekking down the mountain with Buddy.

6.   Repeat hiking up and down several mountains with Buddy until you’re too tired to hike anymore.

Keep Your Cool:

THE PALS Five Senses Adventure

Sit as still as you can and quietly notice your five senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell.  When you feel like popcorn is popping within you, everyone around you is acting like popcorn, or you feel like you’re dribbling a hundred-pound basketball, focus on your five senses and let the Five Senses Adventure begin:

Name 5 things you can see.

·       Observe things like food, animals, and furniture. Name 5 people, places, or objects you can see.

Name 4 things you can feel.

·       Touch objects near you, like your shoes, a book, or the floor. Name 4 items you can feel.

Name 3 things you can hear.

·       Listen to sounds such as traffic, thunder, or birds chirping. Name 3 sounds you can hear.

Name 2 things you can taste.

·       Imagine yourself munching on your favorite foods. Name 2 foods you’d like to taste right now.   

Name 1 thing you can smell.

·       Breathe in. Name a scent you can smell or would like to smell.

Whether you’re at school, at home, or playing with your pals, it’s important to Buddy, Cara, Jed, and Aimee that you keep your emotions under control. Play The Pals’ Five Senses Adventure whenever you need to feel calm, collected, and in control.

THE PALS – Quiet Time Treasure Box

The Quiet Time Treasure Box is a collection of art supplies and toys that helps The Pals calm down when they feel wiggly, worried, or stomping mad.

The items listed below are basic art supplies and toys that encourage imagination and creativity in children ages 5–9. They are generally easy to find in most settings. Other materials can be easily added to meet specific needs, interests, and abilities. Items can be stored in boxes, lunchboxes, backpacks, or bags, and kept in your car, your child’s bedroom, the kitchen, church, or school classrooms for use whenever needed.

·       Pencils and a pad of blank paper

·       A small bouncy ball

·       5-7 colored pencils or crayons

·       3 to 4 Band-Aids

·       A few children’s art stencils

·       A small amount of modeling clay or air-dry clay

·       A small container of play-putty or slime

·       3 to 4 blank envelopes

·       3-4 finger puppets or puppets on a stick

·       Child-safe scissors and a glue stick

·       A few stickers

·       A small stuffed animal or squishy toy.

When The Pals open their Quiet Time Treasure Box, they use the art supplies and toys to help them refocus on the activities they were having difficulty joining or completing. The things in the treasure box give children something to do that helps them feel calm and in control.  When they gain self-control, they can return to the activity they were doing.

Here are a few activities that The Pals enjoy doing using the items in their treasure boxes:

·       Drawing or doodling on paper.

·       Rolling, squeezing, or stretching the clay or putty into fun designs.

·       Gently bouncing or squeezing a small ball to help them focus.

·       Put on a finger puppet “show” to act out what happened during their day.

·       Write a short note or draw a picture, then tuck it into an envelope to give to someone special.

·       Use the small 3- to 5-minute sand timer to time stretching, slow breathing, or drawing.  

How The Pals Use the Quiet Time Treasure Box

·       Let a grown-up know that you need some quiet time.

·       Open our Quiet Time Treasure Box and choose one or two activities.

·       Stay in your calm spot until your breathing is slower and you’re thinking good thoughts.

·       Neatly put everything back in the box so it’s waiting for the next pal.

With practice, The Pals have learned that using The Quiet Time Treasures doesn’t mean they’re in trouble. It means they’re taking charge of their emotions and giving themselves time to stay in control.

Cara, Buddy, Jed, and Aimee hope that Pals all over the world have their own treasure boxes to learn how to be self-control champions.

Cory’s “Love A Lot” Stories

Check out this selection of books that highlight self-control, a vital trait for growing kids. Each title delivers reliable lessons to show children how and why using self-control helps them gain trust, earn respect, and make friends.

• The Color Monster by Anna Llenas (Pop-up book of feelings)

• I Am Stronger Than Frustration: Social-Emotional Book for Kids about Anger Management by Elizabeth Cole

• The Calm Down Jar: A Social Emotional, Rhyming, Early Reader Book to Help Calm Anger and Anxiety by Jennifer Jones

• What Were You Thinking: Helping Kids 6-9 Learn to Control Impulses by Bryan Smith

• My Magical Choices: Teach Kids to Choose a Great Day with Their Choices! by Becky Cummings

We appreciate you joining Cory, The Pals, and me in this meaningful adventure to help children make virtues light up their lives. We look forward to sharing our next post, which will focus on forgiveness.

Sharing love,

Nana/Vicki