Critical #TeacherFriends Twitter Chat: "Over the Top" Kids

"Over the Top" Kids

recap by Debbie Clement

This past Tuesday we had an incredibly insightful Twitter Chat!

Actually EVERY Tuesday is an amazing Twitter Chat! 

This one just resonated with me. Personally. 

Our #GuestEduCelebrity was Wendy Young. 

She is co-author of the forthcoming book, "BLOOM." 

I'm going to screen shot several of Wendy's tweets from our chat. 

She is a wealth of information, insight and support. 

My hope is to support you as you support children who have challenges.

At the same time I'd like lure you into our weekly Twitter chat!

WE HAVE PRIZES EVERY WEEK! 

I know. I know. You don't even have a Twitter account. 

Or you started one ages ago and then just couldn't see the benefit. 

Let me tell you. Honestly. Twitter is an acquired taste. 

You just have to find some tweeps that resonate with you and your experience. 

THEN you can have professional development 24/7! 

IN YOUR JAMMIES! 

I'm @Kweezlequeen on Twitter: long story, just follow me! 

Let me see if I can capture just a little bit of what you missed. 

I am the moderator of our Tuesday night chat. 

I ask our guests five questions over the course of an hour. 

Everyone that 'attends' also answers the question. 

For Tuesday, the first question I asked was: 

"TeacherFriends What's your favorite suggestion 

for helping angry, 'Over the Top' Kids?" 

Now here come some of Wendy's answers............

*****These are screen shots....

Just click on the images below 

to go directly to the article quoted.

We are working diligently to get the entire chat into an organized, archived format. 

Several tech gliches have kept us from having that ready at this time. 

I will add it here, just as soon as it is captured. 

In the meantime, come wading in the Twitter pool with me! 

Can you believe that the month of May has arrived? 

I think May and I think Mother's Day. 

A while back I created this 'subway' art of my mothering thoughts. 

I titled it, "Things I Learned in Mom School." 

Download and print: VOILA! 

Give it to your favorite mom.... or better still? 

Give it to your favorite GRANDMOM!

If we've arrived at May, then it is seriously time to  get your End-of-the-Year Program together. 

I have two songs that I've written and recorded that are each perfect for this time of year. 

They are each in digital format, with Mp3s included in the zip file. 

Start today and I *PROMISE* you will be performance ready in time. 

They are each THAT simple! 

Depending on the focus of your program, 

you can either go with the three tissue self-esteem anthem,

"You're Wonderful" 

or go patriotic and use 

"Red, White and Blue" 

which has also been known to incite tears. 

They are each available at our Early Education Emporium. 

Or perhaps you are more familiar with TeachersPayTeachers.

I've had a couple of AMAZING school visits since last month, 

to some of your favorite cyber-friend/bloggers. 

I just visited Mr. Greg in Nashville..... read all about it on my blog here or on Greg's blog there! 

I absolutely ADORE this picture of their preparation for my arrival! 

They are making quilt square art in response to my first picture book! 

Greg is going with the "no table" approach to his kindergarten classroom this year. 

Give the room a whole new feel. 

Opens it up and allows for my kinder-sprawl! 

Can you find my book? 

RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THE ACTION!

Be still my heart!!!

AUTHENTIC ART IN THE MAKING!

As if that wasn't enough.... two days ago I visited with Cheryl of "Primary Grafitti" fame.  

Here's the tweet that she sent out right in the middle of #TeacherFriends chat. 

The mature students are 'freezing funny faces' in response to my song, "Jumpin' Jiminy.' 

If you EVER wanted to take a peek at an 'organized' classroom, 

come look over my shoulder as I mozy around the perimeter of her room! 

Prepare to be amazed! 

{Click pic below}

Here's one more FREEBIE for you for your End-of-Year gift. 

You can download it in pdf format over at our Early Education Emporium! 

I'll sign off with a HUGE sense of gratitude for yet another of my blogging friends. 

Mary, over at "Sharing Kindergarten" has embraced the Wobble Seats that we distribute. 

I don't have to put words in her mouth, as she's written at length about her excitement over our seating alternative. 

She started with a set of four WobbleSeats and then got a dozen MORE! 

When you order a dozen we can have them shipped for free. 

Peaceful Parent, Peaceful Child

Two pianos were sitting next to each other in a room.  A person sitting at one piano pressed one key, causing a tone to fill the air.   Instantly, the string responsible for creating the same tone on the OTHER piano began to vibrate.  This isn’t the start of a joke, but an experiment that has been tested by physics experts.  The tone created by the first piano is a wave of vibrations that are absorbed by the strings on the other piano.  The one string on that other piano capable of producing the same tone that filled the air, responds by amplifying its own vibration.

People behave in a similar manner as pianos.  When one person enters a room expressing emotion, it is quite likely that one or more other persons in that room are likely to instantly take on that emotion.  Has this ever happened to you; your significant other or child began to express an intensified level of joy, excitement, worry, fear or anger, and before you realized it, you too were feeling a similar sense of that same emotion?

We are emotional creatures and we are each capable of

taking on the emotion of someone we care about.  A close friend stops by with sad news and instantly we feel sad.  Our child arrives home announcing ecstatically that she’s won an award and we too are now feeling great joy.  Our significant other wakes up in a bad mood and we seem to absorb those vibrations, suddenly becoming moody ourselves.

The parents I work with complain to me about their children; the kids won’t cooperate, they scream “NO” at their parents, they talk back, they have frequent meltdowns, and they won’t help out, just to name a few of the common challenges.  Some of the common causes of these types of frustrating behaviors are created by the parents, and include: a lack of consistency in rules, little or no boundaries, talking too much, too many outside activities for the kids to keep up with, too much ‘screen time,’ and not enough parent/child connection time.

But one of the biggest causes is a lack of peace and calmness in the adults who care for the children.  Like the pianos, parents who have not been taking good care of themselves transmit negative frequencies to their families and then wonder why they aren’t getting the level of cooperation and peacefulness they desire.  If you want peaceful children, you must first become a peaceful parent.

When I prescribe this solution to some parents however, I’m quickly met with resistance.  I hear comments such as, “When I can afford a nanny or a housekeeper, then I can become more calm and peaceful.”  I remember the challenge myself; employed full-time, working hard to maintain a peaceful home, and raising three young children who liked to fight and challenge me every step of the way.

I realized that it was my responsibility to do whatever it took to learn how to calm myself and to take better care of me.  I quickly discovered that during weeks when I made time to take care of myself physically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally, it became easier for me to know how to handle situations at home and my children became easier to care for.  So what will YOU do this week to take better care of you?  Start by giving yourself permission to MAKE the time and follow through.

Bill Corbett has a degree in clinical psychology and is the author of the award winning book “Love, Limits, & Lessons: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Cooperative Kids,” in English and in Spanish.  He is happily married with three grown children, two grandchildren, and three step children.  You can visit his Web site www.CooperativeKids.com for further information and parenting advice.