December’s character trait is compassion. This week I have spent time in grades K-5 reading and discussing the book, Those Shoes, by Maribeth Boelts. This book has a great message about how we can use compassion by giving to others in need, and encourages us to understand the things we want versus the things we need.
Here are some activities you can do at home that reinforce the message in the book:
Show Appreciation for Others: The holidays are a great time to show others how much you care about them. Our students had great ideas such as donating new or gently used items, dropping money into bell ringers’ buckets, helping family members with baking and wrapping presents, sending homemade artwork and cards to nursing homes and to our service members, or simply spreading kindness. You will be filling up both their bucket and yours!
Make a “Wants” vs. Haves” Doodle: Sometimes those Christmas lists get REALLY long and we get a case of the “gimmies.” Draw (or write) some of your “wants (things you currently want)” on one side of a paper, and draw (or write) some of the things, or people, you already have in your life on the other side. Circle which things bring you positive feelings and create meaning in your life.
