Flexible Thinking
I'm doing my homework at the kitchen table. My mom wants me to move so she can set the table for dinner. What is a flexible response?
Move from the kitchen table and do my work later or somewhere else.
I'm doing my homework at the kitchen table. My mom wants me to move so she can set the table for dinner. What is a stuck thinking response?
I get stuck because I am not done with my homework and I was here first. I yell at my mom, "No! I'm not done yet and I was here first!".
When I am using flexible thinking, people are more likely to have ____________ thoughts about me.
Comfortable thoughts
We have a substitute teacher at school one day who tells us our reading time will be after our quiz. We usually have it before the quiz. What is a flexible response?
To let it go. Changing the schedule is a small problem.
We have a substitute teacher at school one day who tells us our reading time will be after our quiz. We usually have it before our quiz. What is a stuck thinking response?
I get stuck on the schedule change. We ALWAYS do reading before our quiz! I refuse to do my quiz because I wasn't able to read first.
When others are being flexible around me, I might feel ___________.
Relaxed, happy, content, safe, comfortable, etc....
I'm going to play a board game with some other kids in my class. I really want to go first, but so does everyone else. What is a flexible thinking response?
I can be a problem solver by doing rock paper scissors to figure out who goes first. Even if I am not first, this is a small problem. I can stay calm.
I'm going to play a board game with some other kids in my class. I really want to go first, but so does everyone else. What is a stuck thinking response?
If I can't go first, then I'm not playing!! I yell at the other kids and stomp my feet. I end up alone because they do not want to play with me.
When I am using inflexible or stuck thinking, people are more likely to have ___________ thoughts about me.
Uncomfortable thoughts
My dad asks me to rake the leaves on Saturday morning. I wanted to spend the morning skateboarding with my friends. What is a flexible thinking response?
We can add our ideas together. First I can rake the leaves, and then I can skateboard with my friends.
My dad asks me to rake the leaves on Saturday morning. I wanted to spend the morning skateboarding with my friends. What is a stuck thinking response?
I yell at my dad, "I'm not raking the leaves. I want to follow my plan and skateboard with my friends". I end up getting in trouble for yelling at my dad, and I am not allowed to play with my friends at all.
When others are using stuck thinking around me, I might feel ____________.
Stressed, annoyed, irritated, impatient, frustrated, etc...
I'm walking in the hallway. It's really crowded and a student walking by knocks my books right out of my hands. What is a flexible thinking response?
Think of the situation another way. Because it was crowded in the hallway, it probably was an accident that the student bumped into me. No big deal.
I'm walking in the hallway. It's really crowded and a student walking by me knocks my books right out of my hands. What is a stuck thinking response?
I yell at the student "HEY WATCH IT, LOOK WHAT YOU DID". The student starts to cry. Other students have uncomfortable thoughts about me for shouting in the hallway.
When I use __________ thinking, others want to be around me, work with me, and be my friend.
Flexible