Page 43 - Mousy Mouse Has a Bad Day

The point of this exercise is for you, the adult, to teach how to use Good Thinking skills in difficult situations to your child. It is important that you use your own Good Thinking with this exercise. This means that you don’t jump to conclusions, take sides or become demanding. It is a fairly simple process but that does not mean it will be easy for you or your child.
First let them explain what happened, what they were thinking and the outcome (their perception) of the event. Then discuss what they think they could have thought/done differently. Help them see the irrational and rational sides of some of their choices and reward them for their awareness. Don’t make the choice for them and don’t reward them for “guessing right.” You want them to learn to evaluate and not be overly concerned about what others might think or say.
“What are the choices you can make in this situation?” “What is the best choice for you in this situation?” “What will happen if y ou choose that one?” “Are you willing to accept the consequences of that choice?” These are questions you should have in your “Coping Vocabulary”
This is the process that Mousy failed to do throughout the story. In the various situations, this lack of a Coping Vocabulary caused her to have a very bad day. In the Cheese game, the consequences were much worst.
Your children can learn how to make good choices without being overly influenced by their “comparison shopping”, perfectionism or by the opinions of others. They can also learn that when they practice “Choice Making.” They may occasionally make a bad choice but that the consequences of a bad choice are usually not catastrophic.
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