Day 5 Report

I have added a video to last week's post regarding Happy Habit #4 Think Win-Win

*This week's Happy Habit # 5 was Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood which was about listening not just with our ears but also with our eyes and our hearts. The children have homework in regards to this habit. They have the choice to either spend an hour not talking and only listening or to think of someone who is a good listener and write a list of what makes them a good listener. I have recommended that if they choose to spend an hour not talking and only listening that they inform the people they are around first. And no, it doesn't count if they spend the hour playing in their room by themselves, lol.

*For goal work, the children spend some time coming up with ways that they can acknowledge their accomplishments and celebrate once they achieve their goals. Here are some of their ideas:
- a bubble bath
- doing a celebration dance (and song)
- a board game night with family
- spend the day reading
- go to Chuck E Cheese
- have a picnic
- go get ice-cream
- brag (to mom and dad)
- go in the sprinkler
- show Stacey the accomplishment
- do something special with parents

*We also spend time learning about the virtue of attitude. More specifically we discussed the idea that we can't control our circumstances but we can control our thoughts. We discussed the following important terms.

Self-control: The ability to control your own behavior, especially in terms of your actions and impulses.
(This is why we practice mindfulness each week)
Personal-control: Believing that you have control over the important outcomes in your life.
Pessimism: Always expecting something bad to happen.
Optimism: Believing, expecting, or hoping that things will turn out well.

See if your child remembers the ABCDE Way to get rid of negative thoughts. Here's a hint:
Any problem, Bad thoughts, Creepy feelings, Decide, Enjoy


Thanks for sending me such a wonderful group of children. They have such wonderful attitudes toward learning and they treat each other so respectfully that it makes each class a joy!