I am so embarrased

The Monster at the end of this book was one of my favorites as a kid. If you’ve never read the story, Grover doesn’t want the reader to turn the pages and keep reading because he’ll have to deal with the monster at the end of the book. The thing is, the end of the book reveals that Grover is the monster. I think the last line on the last page is “Oh, I am so embarrassed.”

If you’re alive, you’ve probably been embarrassed. For me, it is in those moments when my self-esteem can waver and falter. We don’t want others to think less of us because we make a mistake. Some people can become so preoccupied with what others might think of them that they won’t try—anything. Been there, done that and I don’t think it’s a good way to go through life. Yeah, if you never try you can’t really fail, but if you never try, you can’t succeed either, right? IF you try, you MIGHT say something funny that makes someone laugh, say something intelligent and someone is impressed, you MIGHT even have the answer someone is looking for. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.

But say you did try, and it, uh, didn’t go so well. You are getting embarrassed. Instead of asking yourself “Why did I do that? Why did I say that? Why did I try?”, ask yourself if it was really a big deal, or was it a simple mistake that anyone could make? If your goof really was a big deal (you forgot something important) figure out what you can learn and avoid making the same mistake again. If it wasn’t a big deal, learn to shrug it off and try something different next time.

Something I try to remember and tell myself is I am probably not the only person in the world or history of time who has done this, made this mistake, had this embarrassing moment. I probably wouldn’t let them beat themselves up about it, so why should I make myself miserable over it. And is it really going to matter over the course of time?

Apologize when necessary, laugh as much as possible, and keep moving.

Stuck inside with my kids part 2

We are stuck inside, snowed in, and it is day #4. So here is another list of ideas:

Scavenger hunt: you can easily tailor this to the ages of your kids whether you focus on colors, numbers, shapes, ABCs, or more abstract items.

Paper airplanes or origami: fold some different designs and then have a contest to see which flies the furthest, highest, or turns the most. Look up other paper folding activities.

Cat’s cradle: Remember this string game from your childhood? Have you ever taught it to your kids? I think I’m going to give it a try this afternoon.

Movement/exercise die: Use a square-ish Kleenex box. Cover each side with a different color of construction paper. Draw or write different movements and or exercises on each side such as jumping jacks, frog jumps, stretches, arm circles, push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, jumping rope, etc. If you also have a numbered die, you can roll the two die together to see which movement to perform and how many times.

Tupperware matching: If your “tupperware” cabinet is also neatly organized, then give yourself a pat on the back. Otherwise, have your kids help you sort the sizes and shapes and match lids.

Cotton ball races: Similar to tabletop soccer (one of the links I shared Wednesday) but give each participant (no reason to restrict it to just the little ones) a cotton ball and a straw. Designate a starting line and a finish line. Just be careful or you may find out who passes out first, too.

Kids websites

Many of my friends are stuck inside with their kids for yet another snow/ice day. So here is a list of kids websites I have collected. Some girly, some boyish, some educational, some preschool, some older--but this is not an indication that my kids play on the internet all day long, lol. Rather it is because I don't see a reason to spend money on computer games for my kids when there are some many websites. I am not opposed to using the internet to supplement my kids learning experience. The more different ways that learning is reinforced, the longer and better the information will stick.

http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/
http://www.bigideafun.com/
http://disney.go.com/characters/clubmickey/index.html
http://disney.go.com/disneychannel/playhouse/rpo/rpo_games.html
http://www.funbrain.com/
http://www.nickjr.com/
http://www.clicknkids.com/Index.asp?cnr=TV
http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/index.html
http://kids.discovery.com/fansites/readysetlearn/readysetlearn.html
https://www.theknackkids.com/?reg_source=KKWELCM&utm_source=site&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=welcome
http://www.veggiepirates.com/
http://www.lego.com/en-US/default.aspx?domainredir=lego.com
http://caillou.com/indexUS.shtml
http://veggiefanclub.com/
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/
http://pbskids.org/
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tlsbooks.com%2F&h=6bb5c
http://www.theuhohs.org/
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/kidsroom/firesafe/firesafe.html
http://ci.delavan.wi.us/firedept_forkids.cfm
http://www.noggin.com/
http://www.starfall.com/
http://www.nwf.org/rangerrick/kzPage.cfm?siteId=3&CFID=21900131&CFTOKEN=44cb95646c1865c8-9C36F665-5056-A868-A070EBC11AE742FF
http://www.softschools.com/
http://www.spellingcity.com/
http://www.hotwheels.com/
http://bozthebear.com/home.asp
http://coolmath4kids.com/
http://mathcats.com/
http://www.kidsnumbers.com/
http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/home/jump.aspx
http://www.bigiqkids.com/
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp
https://www.pebblego.com/SelectProduct.aspx
http://www.shamozzle.com/WorldWEBCAMwatchUNDERWATER.html
http://www.neaq.org/education_and_activities/blogs_webcams_videos_and_more/index.php
http://www.neaq.org/education_and_activities/games_and_activities/online_games/index.php

Homemade Phone Book

When my older daughter was in Kinder or first grade, she was having a little trouble with her writing. I came across this idea in the November 2003 issue of Parents magazine and thought it would be a fun way for her to practice writing her numbers and letters without doing yet another worksheet. I created a book out of construction paper, wrote down names and phone numbers (such as grandparents, home phone, cell phones, work phones), and she copied them down and I corrected when necessary (when she wrote a letter or number backwards). She still uses her own phonebook when she wants to call her grandparents.

Stuck with my kids!

I’m going to get the electricity related activities out of the way first. They are a legitimate way to pass the time, even if they are not the best choice when trying to conserve energy (in the hottest or coldest part of the year).

Video games (DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox)

Movies

TV (on demand, DVR, rentals)

Music (turn on a CD, MP3 and “move it, move it”)

Now for some more “green” options. As I’m pulling things out of cabinets, my kids are rediscovering toys and activities they had forgotten. Guess this will be a good day to clean out cabinets and closets.

Puzzles – I have plastic baby puzzles, wooden preschool puzzles, and puzzles ranging from 24 piece to 100 piece as well as large floor puzzles.

Card games/board games

Read – read together, read separately. If you don’t have books all over the place like I do, write a story together. Let your imaginations run wild, just be sure to write it down then you can read it again.

Coloring – we have tons of coloring books, but you can create pictures with construction paper or printer paper. Use markers, colored pencils, crayons—have you ever really noticed the different textures that these media produce?

Build a fort – use sheets, blankets, table cloths, couch cushions, dining chairs, tables—then crawl inside.

Paint – I always have water colors around, sometimes from old school supplies. I’ve even heard of people who allow their kids to paint the fiberglass walls of the bathtub. If you have construction paper but no paint, try making designs with plain water.

Playdoh

Beads and lacing – with two girls, we have pony beads to chunky wooden beads. Shoelaces are easy to use (if you’re stuck at home anyway, just swipe the laces from your tennis). If you don’t have beads, or your kids are too little for that, but you have cardboard, old cereal boxes or even paper plates, punch some holes and show them how to “sew”

Crayon rubbings – Did you ever make crayon rubbings out of fall leaves? Go on a hunt for things that a fairly flat and will fit under a piece of paper. Now rub over the sheet of paper with the side of the crayon. Compare the different textures and designs.

Magnifying glass – If you have a magnifying glass (or two) then go on an expedition through your house. Have you ever looked at your fingers, carpet, or toys with a magnifying glass. If you don’t have one, maybe you should look for one (in the office supply section) next time you’re out shopping 

Go through their toys – If your kids are complaining they are bored, ask them if they have played with their own toys in their room. If they only played for a short while or haven’t played at all, ask them which toys they are bored with and would like to give to someone else. They will either quickly go play (like mine) or will start getting rid of things.

Well, there’s the first installment. I’ll let you know if I find anymore treasures as we explore other cabinets and closets ;)

"The Undervalued Self"

Kids aren’t the only ones who can suffer from low-esteem. What is an adult to do? It can be hard to find the right resources and bootstraps to pull ourselves out of that pit. So I was curious when I came across the article “The Undervalued Self” in Going Bonkers magazine, the self-help magazine with a sense of humor.

The article begins with a story of a young man throwing starfish back into the ocean. Even though he can’t save them all, he has made a difference to those he does save. The moral of the story, of course, is “You make a difference in this world, whether you are aware of it or not. It’s not important if you touch one life or thousands. It’s just important that you exist.” These are great encouraging words for someone who is down on themselves.

All right, so what if you want to change how you feel about yourself, your current situation. You think there might be a light at the end of the tunnel if you could just figure out which tunnel to take. “Yet, somehow, despite the plethora of self-help, goal setting, and how to books, you have yet to make the changes you so desire? The problem may not be in knowing what to do. Nor is it in understanding how to do it. The real issue may be in believing you are worth making the change; that you actually deserve to live a fulfilling and fruitful life.” If you are dealing with a bully type frequently, this can be a hard concept to wrap your head around. Even if you aren’t a Christian and believe God created you for a purpose, I think it still comes down to: while you’re here, you might as well find some way to enjoy it (yeah, I know, someone could really run away with that …).

It can seem easier to stay where you are, even if you feel miserable, because there is comfort in the known, the familiar. You ask yourself what if it doesn’t work? What if this is the wrong tunnel, the wrong change? At what point do I give up, turn around, try something else? And do you know what this article offered as its answer? “You become capable by being capable. You become flexible by being flexible. You become strong by being strong.” What?! I’ve been in the pit where you wonder if anybody really cares? Does it really matter that you exist? How on earth can you “be” capable, flexible, or strong if you have no idea what capable, flexible or strong is?

The article does redeem itself a little as it reminds to value yourself enough to be willing to change. Keep in mind all the little successes in your life, instead of beating yourself up over the failures and mistakes. Try looking at your life, your situation, your approach in a different way to find another solution.

All in all, you are worth it, regardless of your age. Believe you are worth enough to try something. It’s ok if it doesn’t work out. Try something else. Try something different. Don’t give up on yourself.

Sometimes you have to encourage yourself

Most of the time I talk about encouraging kids in a variety of ways to boost their self-esteem. But what do you do if you’re not a kid anymore or you don’t have someone around who consistently encourages you? Create a folder or box (this can be physical or digital) and keep cards, notes, and momentos that make you smile and keep you going. On those days, in those times, when you are tired of the same-old-same-old or you are afraid of something new, go through your folder or box and remind yourself that you are special and important and of all the people who believe in you.



And a big THANK YOU to all the fans—you are an encouragement to me everyday!

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