Baby steps to get things done
Brilliant, civilization-changing ideas are a dime a dozen. Physically taking action to implement them, however, beginning with baby steps that seem to accomplish very little, is what gets the crowds here screaming like raving lunatics.
In the good way… that lunatics scream… you know? Tut, Monday 29.6.09
Simple message but I was ready to hear: Big ideas are everywhere, the baby steps to begin the ideas are not.
Be different, take a baby step or two today. I am going to rearrange my desk so that I don’t break my natural flow every time I answer the phone!
Vote for ACT for kids in the Cannon Creative for a Cause photographic competition
With your vote ACT for Kids can win $60,000 in cash from Canon to help treat and prevent child abuse.
If you’re as passionate about helping Aussie kids as we are then ACT now and vote for us! Please follow this link to view our photo and vote 1 for ACT for Kids.
Please forward this email to everyone you know and ask them to vote for this photo – with your help, and $60,000 ACT for Kids can help give more abused kids the life they deserve.
Canon’s Creative for a Cause photographic competition is designed to raise awareness of Australian and New Zealand charities through creative imagery. Photo enthusiasts from far and wide have uploaded a photograph which represents a cause that they are passionate about to the Creative for a Cause website along with an explanation of what their photo means. From there, it’s all up to the public to vote for their favourite image. Canon will donate a massive $60,000 AUD to the winning Australian charity and $25,000 NZD to the winning charity from New Zealand. ACT for Kids would like to thank all those who have submitted photos on our behalf.
Bibliotherapy and books to help kids solve problems
Do you know what bibliotherapy is?
Read on or click Megan’s book, that’s it above, to learn how to use a story to solve a problem.
The process of providing advice through books, any books, is called bibliotherapy. While self-help books, with structured steps for life improvement, are a form of adult bibliotherapy, quality junior fiction offers a range of problem solving options for our children….with out the kids even knowing that the story is helping them solve a real life problem 
Apart from the bountiful educational and cultural benefits of encouraging children to read, there are three other great therapeutic reasons to use children’s books to give advice:
1. Identification of character and social situation: This identification increases the probability of learning different behaviors and receiving advice.
2. Catharsis: Through identification, an emotional connection with the character or social situation allows children to act out and discuss their emotional responses to the situation.
3. Insight: Through beneficial discussion and follow-up play, the child integrates the link between the story and their own life, with opportunities to practice how to address and solve issues of concern.
Turn any quality children’s literature into your own in-home child therapist by simply following this plan:
- Step 1) Identify the practical advice (the message) you want your child to know
- Step 2) Match the message with an appropriate book. Seek out junior fiction/non-fiction that deals with the particular issue (drugs, death, alcoholism, fear, bullying, sexual assault, etc). While searching for the advice appropriate book, remember that:
The book should match your child’s reading ability level,
The text must be at an interest level appropriate to the maturity of the youngster,
The theme of the book should match the identified needs,
The characters should be believable so that the child can identify with with the dilemma,
The plot of the story should be realistic and involve creativity in problem solving.
- Step 3) Decide on the setting and time for the story reading.
Will you read it with/to your child, will you leave the book for your child to find, will you suggest the book to your child as a great read and hope they ask you to buy it for them? - Step 4) Knowing that you need to be active for bibliotherapy to be effective, motivate your child to become involved with an associated problem solving follow up activity by making play suggestions prior to story end (e.g. “We could have a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and ask our friends to donate $1.00 each to the Save the Panda fund.”)
- Step 5) Design one or more follow-up, book-connected activities, based on your child’s interest and ability. This may be as simple as being available for discussion after story end. You may want to engage with your child in drawing a picture from the story, or help your child journal their thoughts on the book. Alternatively, actively encourage dramatic play or drama around the advice issue, or take a visit to a place somehow connected to the story (see Are Children’s books providing them with enough advice for play ideas).
- Step 6) Pre engage in the follow up activities by asking questions or having short discussions throughout the reading. At the end of a chapter or every few pages, sum up so that “the message” does not get lost in the fantasy
- Step 7) Immediately after story end, take a break and allow your child to do their own reflection on the material
- Step 8 ) Introduce the follow-up activities by briefly retelling the story, focusing on how the characters solved their issue, and let the child know what you suggest you could both do to honour the advice/message in the book
- Step 9) Assist your child to integrate the advice gained by honestly answering any questions they may have.
Happy bibliotheraping….there’s a child therapist in every parent
Contact me to buy my book, Bitss of Caramel Marmalade on Toast: RRP $15.00
You may also like to read, Hypnotic stories and bibliotherapy.
Garbage bags to foster kids
Children in care (foster children or children in orphanages and group homes) do not always have a suitcase to keep their belongings together. Foster care is too frequently characterised by numerous moves. Without a suitcase, a bag or storage boxes, these moves mean that precious belongings and symbols of memory (trinkets, presents, photos, etc) become lost.
Next time you throw rubbish into your green plastic bag, think of how a child in care may feel carting their belongs from home to home in a green garbage bag. Do you want to foster kids or destroy them like garbage?
Give a little and heal a lot: Project Hotel Shampoo for kids in care. Good quality clean clothes and suitcases, bags, etc also gratefully received.
Project hotel shampoo for kids in care
You pay for your complimentary motel bathroom products in your room tariff so put the unopened ones to use: comfort packs for abused children in out of home care.
Too many children enter the care of the Department of Communities without the bare essentials, let alone the expected comforts that we take for granted: shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, skin lotion, etc.
Funding deficits, supply or even geography often impede the ability to ensure that our kids in care have their own supplies of personal products. Let’s change this.
Collect your shampoos, bath gels and lotions from hotel stays and donate them to be used in comfort packs for abused children placed in emergency care accommodation in the Cairns region.
Every time you stay in a motel/hotel, bring home your unopened personal care products to be used in personal packs given to children as they enter care. Shampoos, conditioners, soaps, bath gels, toothpaste, lotions, etc….those little products can make the world of difference to a child who has little to make themselves feel better.
You have already paid for motel personal care products in your room tariff so put them to good use and bring a little holiday magic to a child in care.
Collection point for the Cairns area is Megan Bayliss: 30 James St, North Cairns. Send, or telephone to arrange drop off, 07 4031 0489
Also required: New bath bags and unopened packets of tampons/pads. Good quality second hand children’s clothing in all sizes. Perhaps there is a service club out there who would be willing to source and donate new bath bags.
