Attitude of Gratitude

This month we are working on an Attitude of Gratitude. We are focusing on appreciating the good things in our lives. In the older grades we'll discuss the circle of control - recognizing that something are in our control and other not. When things go wrong, often the circumstances are beyond our control, but our attitude about how we handle it is not. Focusing on what went wrong just gets us stuck in the bad feelings, but focusing on what we can do about it or the upside of the situation helps us move past it. ie.: "I'm disappointed my game got rained out. But, I'm grateful we have more time to practice (and I do love splashing in rain puddles!)"

In the younger grades we'll read books about characters that can find the upside or push through a challenge, like The Very Fairy Princess and Rain Brings Frogs. My favorite is Pete the Cat who discovers the cool blue sunglasses that let him see a situation in a different way. I use sunglasses in my toolbox this month to remind us we can always see any situation in a better way. As Pete says, "The birds are singing. The sky is bright. The sun is shining. I'm feeling ALRIGHT!"