Page 47 - SB-Collard Green Garden

Worksheet
This is where you can teach your child the classic coping self-message, “What is the worse that could happen.” By using this question whenever we are fearful, we will learn that the real (rational) worst consequence in most situations is something we can handle. It is the unreal (irrational) consequences that cause us to “freeze up” and make bad decisions. Coach them to think like the Crow, if the bull came after you, “you could hide in the house until the farmer got him and built an even stronger fence.”
If the Young Girl had used the coping messages your child verbalize, the Young Girl could still be fearful but not terrified. A rational, not foolhardy evaluation is what you want them to start learning when confronted with something fearful or intimidating.
This allows the Young Girl (and your children) to think of alternative ways to handle the “Bull Situation.” An easy compromise to this situation is to leave collards along the fence and change the rest of the garden. Help them come up with examples of behaviors then discuss the options and choose a rational one.
You are not encouraging them to be mean or spiteful or even to overwhelm the “opponent.” Instead, in these examples, you want them to see that by doing what is best for them, in spite of some negative consequences to others, they are being rational and their behavior is the acceptable.
A final question in this process can be; “What will we find in her garden next year?” Let them give you an explanation of why they think... “just collards” or ”lots of vegetables.”
1. What more realistic thing could the Young Girl have told herself about the Bull’s threat?
(Help them come up with rational (Good Thinking) alternatives...like Cosmos’)
2. With this Good Thinking, what emotions would she have then felt after the Bull’s threat?
(They may say a little scared (which is realistic) or brave...but you want them to be “in control”)
3. What then would have been her behavior toward changing the garden?
(She could compromise...leave some for the bull by the fence...but she would change the garden)
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