Vision & Self-knowledge
These free printable pages were created to talk about gender stereotypes and limitations that we have created based on old messages. It is a way to address issues such as toxic masculinity, roles in the family, occupation, responsibility, and any other topic that may arise in the process.
Suggestions:
- Print at home and discuss with our families as a reminder to be mindful of our own assumptions
- Discuss how assumptions and stereotypes can limit us from reaching our human potential.
- Individually or as a group, finish the sentences in a way that supports the human potential and goes beyond gender stereotypes.
- To use at school, home, or as needed.
A simple way to make sure we are aligned and practicing consciousness with our words and deeds.
Suggestions:
- Print at home and discuss with our families as a reminder to be mindful of our intentions, our words and our actions.
- To use as a personal reflection exercise before doing something.
- To use at school with students.
- To use as a way of talking about the importance of alignment.
- To use as part of therapy if needed.
A suggested activity for older children and young teens to discuss our role and responsibilities in the world. A way for them to be conscious that they get to choose the way they wish to mark the world.
Suggestions:
- Have a conversation as a family or with students about what it means to leave our marks on the world.
- Share examples of people who have left their marks. Discuss negative and positive examples.
- Share what kind of mark you wish to leave.
- Use words, images, drawings to visually illustrate what you wish your mark to be.
- Use as needed.
Movies transport us through different worlds. They can inspire and propel us to new heights. They can mirror our challenges and remind us that we are not alone with our troubles.
Not every movie needs to be followed by a conversation, but for those movies that do need it, here are some questions to guide those important discussions. The beauty and magic of those conversations is that we start talking about a movie, but end up opening a window to each other’s lives through these talks.
Suggestions:
- Have a conversation as a family after a movie and take time to discuss together. Have everyone answer the questions.
- Use the questions in a classroom or with a group when watching movies together.
- Add your own questions.
- Use as a conversation starter.
- Use as needed.
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Change is a slow process that requires constant attention and effort. With the beginning of each new year, we get excited by the idea of starting over and can occasionally forget that through our actions, words and commitments we are teaching our children valuable life lessons. Let us teach them to plant seeds that are determined by many small committed efforts and steps.
Suggestions:
- Use to help with planting new seeds and trying new resolutions.
- Use to understand that change takes time.
- Use as a way of introducing small changes into your life.
Life lessons are everywhere and nature is a great teacher.
Go outside, sit together with your class or your children and look around.
What are the laws and lessons of nature and what can they teach us?
Suggestions:
- Combine with another lesson about nature or the cycles and rhythms of life.
- Use as an outdoor activity and challenge the children to come up with as many lessons as they can.
- Combine with a nature scavenger hunt during recess or camp.
- Use during Earth day and talk about responsibility to nature and the environment.
- Discuss the lessons from nature and what we can do to include these into our lives.
Sometimes we need a little perspective to be able to take a step back from the immediacy or drama of a situation and to put it within the proper context.
Suggestions:
- Start the conversation by showing examples of how we perceive things when we react right away and stay in instant mode, and the types of questions that give us space and perspective.
- Use as part of therapy, with your own children or with your students to help explore the benefits of looking at things from a deeper perspective.
- Keep as a visual reminder of the importance of looking at the bigger picture.
- Use as needed.
A simple conversation starter that helps children understand consciousness and ownership of their own energy and emotions.
A visual aid to help us take ownership of our lives and to remind us that we always have a choice.
Suggestions:
- Use as a discussion tool when children blame others for what is happening in their lives.
- Write down the different ways the candle and the mirror would "act" in different circumstances.
- Write down what it means to you to be the candle or the mirror and discuss the quote.
- Keep as a visual reminder that we choose our path.
- Use for group discussions.
- Write down different experiences where we are at times the candle or the mirror.
- Use as you need.
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An activity that can help children (and adults) understand that they have a choice as to which values they choose to bring with them, no matter where the path seems to have led them. Can be used to help children with trauma or getting back some control after unfortunate events.
Suggestions:
- Talk about our life journey as a road that twists and turns, folds unto itself and loops around. How we may not always know where we are going or sometimes find ourselves on a path that forces us to learn from painful circumstances. Discuss how the only thing we can control is the values that shape our perception and reaction to life's journey. Share examples together of the kind of values that change our attitude on this journey, such as strength, courage, faith, love...
- Write down five key values that help shape your life journey. If you wish to add more, simply write more of them. Do not write less.
- Discuss how these values can help change our perception, attitude and actions when life seems to throw us off course or when something difficult happens.
- Use to help bring self-awareness as to which values are important to you.
A simple activity to help children relax when they feel as if they need to have it all figured out. A great way to talk about possibilities for our future and how there is no wrong choice. Can be used as well for children who need that special encouragement to envision themselves in certain roles.
Suggestions:
- Use when children feel pressured to know all the answers.
- Use when children receive certain messages of what they 'can't' become and encourage them to believe that they have the potential to be anyone they can imagine themselves as.
- Use to encourage exploration of different roles in life.
- Use as a fun class activity when exploring different jobs in the classroom.
A great tool for self knowledge and making time choices that reflect our values.
A wonderful way to focus on what is important to us and how the choices we make should reflect that.
Suggestions:
- Discuss the concept of time and priorities. How it's easy to get carried away doing things that in the end don't mean much to us.
- Discuss how when we know our priorities and what's important to us, then it is easier to focus and accept our time choices.
- Print one for every member of the family and do it together. Discuss it afterwards and see if changes need to be made in how each one's time is managed.
- Use it as a way to help children focus on priorities as it teaches them the ability to see if what they are doing reflects what's important to them.
Some reflective questions to help us figure out what to do in difficult situations. These are the types of questions that allow for inner contemplation, a dusting of our habits and fears and will lead to actions rooted in intent and courage.
Suggestions:
- Print out and work together with your child to help them navigate their feelings and choices.
- Use together as a family when faced with difficult choices.
- To use when things don't go so well and your child has a hard time dealing with disappointment.
- Use in class as examples of what to ask yourself and how to reflect on certain choices.
- Use in therapy as reflection work to be done at home.
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Use the idea of a bubble as a way to talk about personal space and boundaries. It is a sacred space, vital and essential to our growth and happiness. It protects us from the energy we automatically pick up from each other and allows us to deal with our own emotions without being bombarded by outside information.Boundaries and personal space can be challenging concepts, use the bubble as a visual to explain
Suggestions:
- Make bubbles together and talk about the physical aspects of a bubble. How it is small and fragile, can be invisible and yet it's there as well.
- Discuss boundaries and personal space. Be as specific as you can about what is acceptable and not.
- Talk about emotional boundaries and how to protect ourselves from other people's words, actions and emotions.
- Make your own video about what a bubble means to you!
