Page 66 - Tree of Happiness

PARENT NOTES
THE TREE OF HAPPINESS PART TWO
TOPIC: Putting it all together; overcoming adversity both internal and external and learning that the “Tree of Happiness” is within each of us. The story “The Tree of Happiness” continues with the Queen carrying out the tasks assigned to her by the Elf. She builds a monument, gets the 1,000 best books, raises an army and runs off the dragon.
None of these tasks are simple or easy but the Queen uses Good Thinking self-messages to help her cope and continue. You can encourage your children to use some of the Queens effective self-talk and how that helped her be successful. The difficulties of life should not be underestimated or hidden from view. The ability of the Queen in the story or any of us in real life, to obtain happiness depends on our willingness to endure hardship and difficulties.
The Queen is able to keep herself motivated by focusing on how much she has accomplished and not on what is yet to be done. This is a much- overlooked technique, because it seems natural to look forward to our difficulties. It was the Queen’s “Look how far you have come” thinking that helped her through these difficult times.
The most difficult tasks come at the end, "raising an army" and "running off the dragon". This is really about "social skills" and "avoidance".
As social creatures, we want to be accepted and have friends. But we often have little understanding of how to accomplish this in an effective, appropriate manner. Too often children will be too demanding or too needy and are so focused on their needs that they fail to develop the skills necesary to make true friendships.
As we discuss in the fable, The skill of empathy (that is, being aware of the feelings of others) and concern for others, are necessary for the development of true friends. The lack of these skills leads to few friends or to the use of manipulation and intimidation to maintain the illusion of friends.
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