How to turn roars into giggles
Cookie: “You are just the biggest Pterodactyl!”Dandy: “Why is that?”Cookie: “Because you’re the meanest dinosaur!” When kids get upset, their emotions can feel as big as a dinosaur stomping through the room. But what if we could help them to swap their ROAR for a giggle? Humor is a powerful tool to help children express…
Where is wonder?
Cookie: “Dandy, are your hugs filled with kiss flowers?”Dandy: “Yes! How did you know?”Cookie: “Because I see it in my eyes!”Dandy: “How does it look?”Cookie: “It looks like tiny stars.”Dandy: “What color are the stars?”Cookie: “Rainbow.” In a single moment, Cookie’s boundless imagination transformed a simple hug into something so special: a gentle reminder that…
Have you seen flying ants?
Cookie: “Dandy, look! I found a lot of flying ants!”Dandy: “What color are they?”Cookie: “White. Where do they go?”Dandy: “Wherever the wind carries them.”Cookie: “Where did they come from?”Dandy: “Your bed. Give it a few taps.”Cookie taps. Dust bursts forth like confetti in the sunlight.Cookie: “WOW! I did magic! Look, there was nothing. And now…
How to schedule your tantrums
Dandy: “I am going to have a tantrum one day too. Everyone in this house has one.”Cookie: “You can have it tomorrow. Do it in the morning.”Dandy: “Why?”Cookie: “Because I will be in school!” Genius. Absolute genius! What if we took that at face value—schedule your meltdown. Think about it. We don’t take out the…
Learning to Speak Up
Dandy: “Cookie, if you break your tent, I’m going to take your building blocks away.”Cookie: “If you take my toys, I’m going to take all your petals (aka pants) AND leaves (read shirts) away. For real!” Well, that escalated quickly. Kids have an incredible sense of fairness—raw, honest, and straight from the heart. Unlike adults,…
Noise as a mindful teacher
Cookie: “Dandy, wouldn’t it be funny if your armpits could fart? Ha ha ha!”Dandy: “Silly Cookie, they don’t.”Cookie: “How about your nose?”Dandy: “No.”Cookie: “Then what’s that noise when you blow your nose?”Dandy:”Noise from your nose is called a SNORT. And I do not have a better word for armpit farts… “ A kid’s curiosity is…