Page 38 - Mousy Mouse Has a Bad Day

Worksheet
Just as with Mousy in a “spelling test” situation, we all want to do well, be accepted and praised. Making an A+ on the spelling test started off as Good Thinking because it was a reasonable and rational goal. Mousy’s emotions started off OK and her behavior was Thumbs Up because she studied very hard.
But Mousy let her Good Thinking, “Want to make an A+” become a Stinking Thinking, “I must make an A+.” This change left no room for maneuvering. Good Thinking always allows for some “wiggle room” while Stinky Thinking is frequently ridged.
When she failed to get the A+, Mousy felt angry and sad. There is an increased likelihood that instead of continuing to try to make good grades that Mousy may stop studying so she would not experience the disappointment (“It is not important to make a good grade so I just did not study”). Teachers and parents need to have an awareness of this potential problem. The “want to” became a “must” and that became a problem.
On this worksheet, we give the students the opportunity to help Mousy (and themselves) identify a “coping self-message.” “What is something different Mousy could have told herself about her grade?” The children should come up with something like, “This is just one test and I did make a 95%, an ‘A’.” “I did my best and that is all I can do.”
Then on the worksheet we ask, “Which of the statements is more truthful, the one in question 1 or 3?” The children will recognizet that statement 3 is really truer and that although Mousy might still be a little disappointed, she would feel OK (disappointed but not devastated).
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