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Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Educators,

I hope you are enjoying Winston's books with the children in your life. The purpose of this page is to enhance your experience with extended ideas to accompany each story. I broke these texts into four parts: 

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ABOUT is what inspired me to write each story.

 

PURPOSE is why I wrote each story and what I hoped children (and adults) would take away from it.

 

SUGGESTIONS are to help with the discussion questions in the Winston Wonders section. I found after reading BOWWOW to children it was helpful to have a few additional discussion starters.  Sometimes a gentle nudge is all a child needs to chime into a discussion. 

 

IDEAS are other options apart from the story to explore with children. 

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CHANGE

 

 

ABOUT:

My husband, Neal-aka Babe, surprised me with Winston in 2016. He purchased him from Windy Ridge Kennels in Leonard, TX. He was a lively little guy, and even though he was loving, I could tell he was missing his siblings. He did not like being on a leash or learning when and where to potty. I could tell it all was a challenge for him. After several weeks he seemed to feel more at home and in a couple of months he ran the place.

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PURPOSE:

All kinds of changes are introduced into a child's life. A sibling, moving, changing schools, moving up to a new grade, divorce, death, old friends leaving, new friends entering, even the changes in their bodies. They sometimes feel as lost and perplexed as Winston. This story is to assure them that they will adjust to the changes in their lives. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Children may focus on the change but not be able to think of what has remained the same. Here is where you can help. Let's take divorce for example. It is obvious what has changed, but remind of what remains the same. Such as, their parents still love them. If they change schools remind them how they are still learning and the friends they left are still their friends. Just because their bodies change they are still themselves. If a new baby is born into the family, they are still just as important and loved. Think along this vein when the children talk about the changes in their lives.

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IDEAS: 

  • Explore kennels and raising puppies

  • Talk about animal shelters and adopting pets

  • Discuss what pets need and how to take care of them

  • Research rescue and service animals

  • Teachers, invite an officer from the canine division talk to your class

  • Following Winston's Wisdom about how seeds change, put some seeds between wet paper towels and watch how they change. (Keep the paper damp)

  • Plant a seed and watch how it changes once it sprouts

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

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THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM

 

 

 

ABOUT:

When Winston was just a pup we took him camping. It was during Autumn and the air was crisp. We enjoyed watching Win because to him everything was new and fascinating. One afternoon while we sat around a fire, a turtle lumbered its way into camp. When it spied Winston it retreated into its shell. But too late. Winston saw it moving. He sniffed, whined, and pawed it trying to figure out what manner of strange creature it could be. When the turtle decided to make a break for it, Winston jumped back and looked at us as if to say, "Did you see that?" 

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PURPOSE:

As I thought about Winston and the turtle, I felt it was a perfect example of how things may look one way, but in reality are something entirely different. Children are like Winston. Everything is new, especially in the realm of emotions. Their personalities are forming and each child reacts or responds in a different way. Therefore it is important for children to feel safe when they explore new places, relationships, and ideas.  

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Be ready with a few examples of when you misunderstood a person or a situation. Humor is always good, so maybe share with them something funny. 

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IDEAS:

  • Go turtle hunting if the season is right

  • Learn about turtles and their habits 

  • Research bugs that camouflage with nature. For example,  walking sticks, leafhoppers, and dead leaf butterflies.  

  • Investigate animals, amphibians, and fish that camouflage with their surroundings. 

  • Have younger children act out camouflage such as standing like a tree, blooming like a flower, huddling like a rock. 

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Did you come up with other ideas? Grrrreat! Let us know and we will add your ideas to the site! 

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A NEW LEASH ON LIFE

 

 

 

ABOUT:

One afternoon I let Winston play outside while I filled bird feeders. We lived in a rented townhouse while our house was being built. The yard was tiny and unfenced, plus it was on a very busy street. While I filled a feeder with seed, a squirrel came too close, and fell from a branch. Winston went into action chasing the squirrel across that busy street. Drivers slammed on their breaks and I screamed for him to stop. He turned around and ran to me back across the street causing more drivers to slam on their brakes. It was a very close call. Needless to say, he from that day on he was always tethered or on a leash. 

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PURPOSE:

This story is to help children understand that some boundaries are healthy and are implemented because we love them and want them to be safe. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Remember a time when you were young and ignored a boundary. Tell what happened and what you learned. Make it as humorous as you can. This will help the children connect with you and if you make it a good story, they will learn from your experience.

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IDEAS: 

  • Look up different kinds of squirrels, their habitats, and habits

  • Think of all the kinds of vehicles that raced up and down Winston's road

  • Discuss safety practices when crossing busy streets, maybe draw pictures. 

  • Talk about why rules are important.

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

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TRAPPED

 

 

 

ABOUT:

Winston isn't a barker, unless someone is at the door or if there are sneaky squirrels in the yard. However, if he is doing something he wants to do, he ignores us. (Scotties are known to be stubborn.)

 

One afternoon, we couldn't find him. The more we called him, and he didn't respond, the more concerned we grew. Our tone got a little frantic. "Winston? Where are you boy? Come here!" Then I decided he had chased a deer into the woods and was ignoring us. So I yelled, "Winston Apple, you better get your furry black tail home!" 

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Still, no Winston. So I walked back in my mind and remembered the last time I saw him was in the screened porch by Neal's recliner. When I checked I heard Winston rattle his collar. And there he was, trapped under the recliner. 

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PURPOSE:

In this story I want children to know the importance of speaking up when they feel trapped or confused. Be ready to assure them if they don't know something that it is okay to ask. In addition, help children to understand that it is not okay to laugh when others don't understand things. Unfortunately, some children are abused and it is critical that they know there are caring adults that they can trust. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

For children who are being abused, emotionally or physically, feeling safe is important. Think of a way for a child to speak with you privately without the other children knowing.  

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For example, when I speak publicly about sensitive topics attendees are given cards to fill out. Anyone who wanted to speak with me privately was asked to bend one corner.

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Something along this line would work for children. Maybe the class could draw a picture after reading this story to them. Mention to them that if something is making them feel trapped, unsafe, or frightened, to draw an X somewhere inside the picture. When they finish ask the class to write their names on the bottom hand them in.   This will give you the opportunity to help a child who may really need to talk. Be sure to contact the school social worker, counselor, or principal and apprise them of the situation as well.

 

IDEAS: 

  • Look up things about deer. What kinds, where they sleep, what they eat. 

  • Do something with whistles or flutes. It would be fun to introduce children to Native American music.

  • Have the children whistle a song.

  • Explore the different signals given by whistles. 

  • Talk about animal-friendly live traps

  • Check with the local animal control and see if someone would come and speak on what they do and the strangest experiences they had removing an animal.

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

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WHO SAYS DOGS CAN'T LIKE CATS? 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT:

When my husband surprised me with Winston, our outdoor kitty was surprised, too. But she took to him right away and became his second momma. I loved watching her groom him and how he followed her in the yard. In fact, he even started picking up a lot of cat mannerisms. They were the best of friends. Even to this day, I see him stalking a bug just like Gypsy taught him. 

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PURPOSE:

The purpose of this story is to help children appreciate diversity. To learn for themselves that people can be different (races, religions, abilities) and still be friends.

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Children may have questions about why people look different, dress different, or talk different. Study the children in your care and be ready with positive insights. No one is immune to curiosity. As a Southerner visiting England, I was asked to "say that again," allll the time. The people were not mean spirited, just curious. And that's okay.

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IDEAS: 

  • Choose different countries and study the children. How do they dress? What do they play? What do they eat? What are their schools like? What holidays do they celebrate and how do they celebrate these holidays?

  • Start a Pen Pal program with another class across the country or the world. 

  • Research cats both big wild cats and domestic cats. What kinds are there? Talk about their special attributes such as night vision and hunting skills.

  • Talk about how to care for cats. 

  • Compare the difference of how you care for cats and how you care for dogs.

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​

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SCARED SILLY

 

 

 

ABOUT:

Winston and I were spending the weekend with my parents. While we watched our college football team play on the television in the living room, Winston napped close to the couch where we sat. We were six points behind. Then our quarterback made a long pass and the running back caught it and raced to the end zone for a touchdown. We all whooped and scared Winston to death. He jumped up and swung his head back and forth barking frantically. He didn't know what the problem was, but in his sleep dazed condition, he let whatever and whoever that he was in control. Of course we had a good laugh at his expense, and I did give him an extra handful of shredded cheese. This always heals his hurt feelers.

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PURPOSE:

I want children to know that it is okay, even wise, to be cautious. And that in the case that something or someone takes them by surprise, they've been given the instinct to protect themselves. Being cautious or frightened doesn't make them cowards. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Tell a story about when you were cautious or surprised. This will help the children connect with you and if you make it a good story, they will learn from your experience.

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IDEAS: 

  • Study the 'fight or flee' instinct in animals

  • Talk about their favorite dream

  • In reference to Winston being about to race up a tree after a squirrel, as the children if nothing was impossible to them, what would they like to do.

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

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TELLING THE TRUTH

 

 

 

 

ABOUT:

Winston LOVES balls, almost as much as he loves stuffed hedgehogs. The problem is that when he goes to visit my grandchildren, he destroys their balls, no matter what kind. Baseballs, tennis balls, volleyballs, basketballs. By the time he is finished they are either full of teeth puncture holes and flat or shredded. This inspired my story about Soren's baseball.​

 

PURPOSE:

This story is to help them understand that no matter how hard they try to hide the truth, it will come to light. The longer they try to hide it the more miserable they become. It is best to clear their conscious. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

There are many reasons children tell lie. They may want the focus off of themselves or they want to build up their self-esteem. Of course, they want to stay out of trouble. Most often, they don't want to do that homework, so they say they did and the proverbial dog ate it, or they promise with crumbs at the corners of their mouth they didn't eat that last cookie. Even though this is part of growing up, it needs to be addressed. 

 

Share stories like The Boy Who Cried Wolf , look up other stories that teach honesty. One of my favorites is The Boy and the Slingshot, found on www.moralstories.org. Be ready with guiding questions and have a discussion. 

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IDEAS: 

  • When I was a girl we used to play a game called, 'Telephone.' The teacher would line us up and whisper a short sentence in the ear of the first child who would whisper it to the next child and so on. The last child would share the sentence whispered to her or him. Then the teacher would share what she actually said, which was drastically different after was passed down the line. It would be a fun game to play and a catalyst to a discussion of how a lie grows and morphs into something bigger. 

  • Read Pinocchio and discuss

  • Read The Spider and the Fly poem. After discussion, make spiders out to pom poms, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes. You can also attach them to a thin dowel rod with a piece of thin elastic and watch them bounce up and down. 

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

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MISTAKES...THEY HAPPEN

 

 

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ABOUT:

One late spring day, I decided to add some color to my flower beds. Winston watched me labor over digging holes. Honestly, my yard is two-thirds rock and one-third dirt. Winston must have thought this looked fun and since I was digging, then, it follows reason that he could dig too. Unknown to me, he dug a hole so large and deep, I could have buried a small deer in it! ​

 

PURPOSE:

Children are like blank slates. They observe and make decisions using their limited scope of how things work in this life. Many times, they make a wrong choice, but with the best intentions. These are perfect learning opportunities, and as Winston says, "Nobody is pawfect!" 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

 Be ready with some common mistakes and ideas of how to see the positive side of getting things wrong. What lessons could be learned?  

 

IDEAS: 

  • Research famous inventors/ physicians/ professors, who discovered something from a mistake, for instance: Penicillin, Slinky toys, and Post-It Notes.  

  • Talk about explorers who got lost and changed history from that mistake

  • Have small seed pots with soil in them. Spread unlabeled seeds on a surface for the children to choose from. Let them guess what kind of seed they are planting. Label the pot. When the seed grows and blooms, let them see if they were right or if they made a mistake. Either way, something good came from it! 

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​

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REFLECTION IN THE GLASS DOOR

 

 

ABOUT:

My son has a huge, beautiful, Goldendoodle named Murray. He and Winston are great friends. While my son was out of town, I kept Murray for him. Winston likes to keep an eye out for sneaky squirrels and destructive deer through the glass door in my office. Murray joined him and I had this great picture of them together. The contrast between them was striking. Tall Murray with long soft hair, pointy nose, and whisky-colored eyes compared to short, stocky, Winston with a boxy nose and eyes so dark you could hardly see them. I wondered, If Winston was a human, would he compare himself to Murray?   

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PURPOSE:

I hope this story will inspire children to focus on their uniqueness and appreciate their special traits, that are not necessarily appearance, but what comes from within them.

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SUGGESTIONS: 

Be ready with something unique about the child/children you are caring for, something that you see that they might not. Give them ideas about how this is something they should try to develop. 

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IDEAS: 

Scotties are bred to help farmers control vermin and preying animals. They dig into burrows and dig out rats, foxes, badgers, and the like. Terriers are considered Earth Dogs. 

  • Research the history of dog breeds, like Scotties. 

  • Find a YouTube video on Earth Dog trials and watch together

  • What famous people had Scotties for pets? 

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​​​

 

 

 

WHAT THE WOOF?

 

 

 

ABOUT:

We took Winston on a fly-fishing trip. By then, he'd already mastered turtles, but he still hadn't seen a fish. Believe me, he was more than interested and would have liked to have a little taste of the fish, that is, until it slapped him in the face with its tail. He figured he'd examined the thing enough after that and trotted off. On the way home, I thought about the term 'fly-fishing' and thought how funny that sounded. And thus the story began.

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PURPOSE:

It is so easy for us to misunderstand terms. Even as adults. But, as I mentioned before, after being made fun of as a child because I misunderstood somethings in my early school years. This affected me even in high school. When I think about children with learning disabilities, my heart breaks. I want children to know how we all get things confused at times. 

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SUGGESTIONS: 

In addition to helping children understand that we all have trouble at times perceiving things at one time or another, we need to stress to other children that it isn't acceptable to laugh or make fun of anyone who is having trouble comprehending. 

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IDEAS: 

  • Look up what kinds of game fish are in your area. 

  • What kinds of insects do different species of fish prefer? 

  • Show videos of fish stalking and leaping out of the water to catch a bug.

  • Invite someone from the Corps of Engineers to speak to the class about helping with the environment.

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​

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THE SECRETS OF MY SNOUT

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT:

I read an article about the structure of dogs’ noses and how each nostril acts independently of the other. They have 300 million olfactory receptors compared to a human’s five million. Their noses are one thousand times, or more, sensitive than human noses at detecting an odor.  They can sniff out cancer, a seizure before it happens, anxiety, and can be trained to alert diabetic handlers in advance of high or low sugar levels. This factoid helped me introduce the title of my book because dogs view their world through their noses as well as their eyes. It also dovetailed into the story of his and Hazel’s adventure which is about decision-making and how our decisions affect others as well as ourselves. 

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PURPOSE:

As I mentioned, the purpose of this story is to help children identify with Winston’s desire to go exploring with Hazel even though it meant breaking the rule about leaving his yard. Hazel teases him into going with her and he makes a bad decision. When Winston returns he discovers how his breaking the rules affected Sugar. Then he realizes what might have happened to him. After Winston tells his story and the children have identified with him, it is my hope that his words of wisdom will give his young readers guidance when they find themselves faced with a similar decision.

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SUGGESTIONS: 

While this story focuses on Winston making a poor decision, it is also important to stress the results of making a good decision, even though it may seem hard. What if Winston had decided to stay in his yard while he watched Hazel run to the park? Be prepared to bring up some things Winston could do to help his disappointed feelers. Then relate these things to what children could do.

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IDEAS: 

  • Make a chart of the interior of a dog’s nose and what it can do.

  • Have a therapy dog trainer or owner come to speak to your class, and if they are allowed, bring their pup with them.

  • Study different ways dogs’ noses are used, such as bomb-sniffing, cadaver-sniffing, drug-sniffing, and different health conditions.

  • Introduce famous service dogs, military dogs, police dogs, etc.

 

Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​

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ABOUT:

One evening, while sitting on our front porch, my husband, aka Babe, and I watched Winston intently sniff around and under a bush. There must have been some sort of bug. I used this scenario to write a story about the consequences that come of our actions.

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PURPOSE:

This story is to help children make a link between what they do and what happens as a result. Children sometimes ignore advice because they just want what they want, or they get so intent on what they are doing that they ignore what they are being told, as demonstrated in this story.

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SUGGESTIONS: 

It is important that children know how their actions will have consequences, both positive and negative. They can learn to take good advice from trusted adults, or they can learn from natural consequences that happen because of their decisions.

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IDEAS: 

  • Study all the different kinds of bees. In the story the Bumble Bee stings Winston, only the bee doesn’t die. Some bees can only sting once. Some people are allergic to bee stings.

  • Have a local beekeeper come to speak to your class

  • Plant a flower that attracts bees and other pollinators.

  • Study pollination

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Did you think of more ideas? Grrrreat! Write Winston and let us know so we can include it on this site! ​

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ABOUT:

I know a young man who wears braces on his legs and can only walk with the use of crutches. In my family, there are two children with Down syndrome. I also have a friend who needs a wheelchair for mobility. It is a natural thing to notice differences, including different cultures, and wonder. The hard part is to know what to do, and how to respond to these differences. When I saw a dachshund fitted with wheels for its back legs, I had an idea of how to write a story that helps children navigate and understand these differences.

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PURPOSE:

From my experience with family and friends who have special needs, or are from different cultures, what they want the most is to be recognized as people who have value, rather than people to be pitied. It is okay for a child to be curious and ask questions. It is preferable to educate them about disabilities in a factual manner, such as his legs do not work like yours. It is also desirable to help children respect differences in appearance and culture. We live in a diverse world that should be celebrated.

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SUGGESTIONS: 

A child needs to feel safe asking questions. Open up a dialogue by explaining specialized equipment—tools— some people need to help them. Help them to understand behavior that is odd to them, such as children who do not like their food to touch or don’t want anyone to touch them. Encourage patience, helping them to understand that children with special needs just take a little longer to do things or become friends. Point out similarities, such as interests, favorite movies, and foods. Because children are kind and want to be helpers, speak to them about asking before helping. And, as Winston discovers in his story, Jet wanted to play as much as Winston did, he just needed the chance.

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IDEAS: 

Take note of all the different cultures in your child’s class, neighborhood, place of worship, clubs, and athletic teams.

  • Prepare food connected to that culture.

  • Research famous people from that culture.

  • What holidays do people from that culture celebrate?

  • Have special guests come to speak to your class about diversity.

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ABOUT:

To gain an understanding of what makes children angry, I polled my grandchildren. The unanimous decision was getting blamed for something they didn’t do and not being able to convince others of their innocence. I thought about this while watching Winston stare out the window. He is always on the alert when anyone or anything dares walk in his yard or pass by on his street. As I always do I asked myself, “What if?” From this question, Bandit the Bulldog was created to be the antagonist character in the story.

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PURPOSE:

Feeling anger is natural and okay. But it isn’t okay to hurt ourselves or others because, as we learned in the previous story, there will be consequences. The goal of this story is to help children differentiate between feelings and behavior, as well as develop coping skills.

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

Have strategies in place to help develop coping skills. Simple things like taking deep breaths, even blowing up a balloon helps to relieve built-up emotions. Creating artwork gives a different focus, so have supplies on hand such as watercolors, coloring books, clay to sculpt. Playing games or funny animal videos relieve their minds. Then, when the storm clouds of anger dissipate, they will be ready to talk with you about their feelings. Expressing feelings and talking about emotions is a cornerstone of lifelong social-emotional development.

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IDEAS: 

 

Not all litter is bad. Leaf litter is good. Do an environmental study.

  • Explore how fallen leaves help nature.

  • Have an outdoor scavenger hunt. List things around your area for children to find.

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BEING PAWSITIVE

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Download PDF Here

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ABOUT:

Just as it says in this story, it’s true that Winston HATES getting wet. The only water he likes is in his water dish. His next-door-neighbor dog, Hazel, is a Labrador. She loves water. It is human nature to compare ourselves with others, often forgetting our own capabilities that make us individual and special. Therefore, I used the scenario of Winston comparing himself to his friend and wrote a story about being positive, or as Winston would say…pawsitive.   

 

PURPOSE:

A negative outlook is often common in children. They may struggle in school with their studies or keeping up with their peers. They may not like what they see in the mirror. The habit of a negative outlook is difficult to overcome. I’ve seen first-hand how this affects relationships and self-worth. Minor incidences or disappointments are magnified into major catastrophes. I’m a positive person, but as a child, when it came to academics, I struggled. I had a negative selfimage which made me think I was a failure. This feeling followed me all through my school years. As an adult, I overcame this by recognizing and developing my strengths in communication both verbally and in creative writing.  

 

I wrote this story in hopes that young readers will identify with Winston and use his technique to rewire their thinking. In all of the stories in this book, my focus is on social and emotional learning that will follow them into adulthood, giving them the skills they need to navigate through negative emotions.  

 

SUGGESTIONS:  

Negative feelings are real. They need a safe person to express these feelings without being told they are bad. Helping them realize these feelings are temporary, and to guide them into a positive space will set the trajectory of them being able to do this on their own. In the story, Winston observes and appreciates moments of beauty, the clouds, and the gurgling creek. He also began to think about all the things he could do. Talking about things you like to do and asking children about what they feel they are good at or what they are interested in, then help them with a project they can go to when they get, as Winston calls, bad feelers. It could be a vision board of all the things they like, a journal to write positive affirmations and illustrate them, or a treasure box filled with things in nature that bring them happiness.  

 

 

IDEAS:  

  • Take a nature walk and point out interesting plants, bugs, animals, and rocks. 

  • Talk about nocturnal animals and their habits. 

  • Do a study on common birds in your area, their habitats, nesting, egg colors, and their songs.

  • Look up interesting bugs, such as rhinoceros beetles, walking sticks, and the dead leaf mantis, for example.  

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ABOUT:

My grandpuppy, Murray, a huge Goldendoodle, sometimes comes to visit and Winston loves playing with him. When Murray is here our next-dog-neighbor Hazel stays away and just watches. So, I came up with the story about how Hazel gets her feelings hurt because Winston ignores her. Winston comes to realize that he needs to apologize. And not just to say, “I’m sorry,” but to apologize the right way. 

 

PURPOSE:

As I mentioned, when we tell our children to, “Say you’re sorry,” the apology holds no weight with the offender or the offended. The offender takes no personal responsibility and the offended knows the offender really isn’t sorry. This ‘no fault’ attitude carries on through adulthood. Apologies such as, “I’m sorry, but if you hadn’t ______,” insinuates the problem is actually the offended’s fault instead of the offender's. Only when one tries to understand or recognize the other person’s feelings is an apology sincere. A child who develops empathy and recognizes and expresses personal responsibility will carry these life-long skills into adulthood improving relationships on all levels.

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

Empathy is understanding how another person feels, not just when offended. A good exercise is to show pictures of people and have children identify how they are feeling, and why they might feel that way. Happy and sad are easy to identify, but asking the question, “Why do you think they are feeling this?” gives an opportunity to deepen empathy. Also explore emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment, and fear. Brainstorming emotions, and even sharing some of your personal experiences with these emotions will help a child recognize these in others. Former schoolteacher, JoEllen Poon, shared a simple approach to apologies. She uses three sentences: I am sorry for­­­­­________, I was wrong because _______, In the future I will _______. She said this three-sentence apology transformed her students’ apologies. She has a great website: cuppacocoa.com

 

 

IDEAS: 

We read that Sugar was in her garden. Many ideas can come from gardening: 

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BEE-WARE

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DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME

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ANGRRR

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TRICKY PEOPLE TROUBLE

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ABOUT:

We live at the top of a hill where there is only one way in and one way out. Several times a day people drive up the hill and turn around after they realize it is a dead-end. We have several children here and everyone in the neighborhood has always felt safe until the day a car drove into the neighborhood and parked. The driver let down his window and started asking the children questions. It might have been innocent enough, but no one wanted to take the chance by assuming this. Now I am on the alert for my grandchildren and Winston. He is a very friendly dog, and it wouldn’t take much to tempt him. Children also are generally trusting, especially if they know the person who might be trying to tempt them. This is what inspired me to write this story. 

 

PURPOSE:

When my children were young, I taught them about ‘stranger danger.’ Today we no longer use that phrase, instead, we say ‘tricky people,’ because not all abusers are strangers. Children need to be aware of the tricks used by abusers, such as asking for help finding their puppy or giving directions and asking the child to walk with them to show them the way, or asking for help with something in their car, things they normally would ask another adult for help.  Tricks used by often used by known tricky people are asking a child to go somewhere with them without the child getting permission first, or telling a child to keep a secret when that secret them feel uncomfortable. As adults, we need to educate ourselves on the tricks used on children, then, in a non-frightening way, teach our children.

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

Be your child’s advocate. If a child acts uncomfortable around anyone, a family member, a visitor in your home or school, be a safe place for them to tell you. Empower children. Give them strategies on what to do when they feel uncomfortable or frightened. Think of an unusual password, so if anyone does approach the children in your care, they will have to know the password before going anywhere with an unfamiliar person or a family friend. Give them tools for what to do when they get lost from the person caring for them. Encourage them to always trust their instincts. 

 

IDEAS: 

  • Invite a police officer to speak to your class, or visit a police station.

  • Write thank you notes to local police officers, or first responders.

  • Have someone speak to the children about Internet safety.

  • Make up a safety plan for what to do in case of an emergency.

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APAWLOGIZING THE RIGHT WAY
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

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ABOUT:

When one of my grandchildren didn’t make the team after trying out, the attitude of, I quit, followed. One afternoon while watching Winston and our outdoor kitty, Dickens, I wondered how I could encourage her. As Winston and Dickens played, I came up with the idea of setting goals instead of quitting, in hopes of helping her understand the value of persistence and practice and being content with knowing she had done her best. 

 

PURPOSE:

Teaching children persistence is a skill that will enhance their lives into adulthood. Giving them a gentle nudge out of their comfort zone by encouraging them to try new things or practicing a little more each day, builds tenacity. In the story, Winston has no idea what Dickens is doing because it seems like a game that Dickens is challenging him to play. But actually, it was a subtle way to get Winston to practice. Some children love a challenge. Children who are the same as I was when a child, need that subtle encouragement when learning persistence.

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

Children benefit when an adult shares personal stories of failure and how they persevered by following through, emphasizing how effort is what is most important. When helping a child who is struggling, it is good to set small achievable goals for whatever the activity might be: athletics, music, the arts, or academics. If there is a setback, let them know setbacks happen to everyone, the important thing is to bounce back. And as always, to do their very best is the goal.

 

IDEAS: 

  • Share stories about people who have overcome obstacles by persevering, such as J.K. Rowling, Thomas Edison, and Walt Disney, to name a few.

  • Study all the different cats in the feline family, their ability to see at night, their hunting prowess. 

  • Talk about the summer Olympic games, past winners and discuss what it might have taken to achieve their goals. 

  • Make a goal collage with the children, a vision board, for them to put where they can see it to remind them to persist. 

BUZZY BEES IN MY BELLY

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ABOUT:

Winston is unusual for a Scotty. Normally, they are aggressive, feisty, and energetic. While he is feisty and energetic in play, his personality is definitely chill, except when it comes to bath time groomer appointments, and vet visits. Thinking about his personality and his dislikes, I was inspired to write this story for children who sometimes feel anxious in hopes they will connect with Winston and follow his lead. 

 

PURPOSE:

At one time or another, I’ve witnessed anxiety in all my fourteen grandchildren, I remember working through it with my five children, as well as memories of my being anxious as a child. Anxiety comes from many scenarios, changes in family relationships, moving to a new house in a different school district, friend problems, struggling in school, and feeling embarrassed in front of their peers (which was my problem.) Most of the time anxiety is manageable. Anxiety is something nature built inside of us to help us recognize and respond to threats of danger. However, when it comes from abuse or trauma manifesting physically as in a panic disorder, a school counselor needs to be involved.

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

When anxiety strikes, our minds run to a dark place. To help bring reality back into focus encourage deep breathing. Suggest breathing in through the nose as if smelling a flower and blowing out through the mouth as if blowing bubbles. Helping a child to think about what they like, playing a game, and letting them run, bounce a ball, sing, or create also helps. What doesn’t help is to minimize what they are feeling. In this story, Sugar validates Winston’s worries about the vet. The anxiety children feel is very real to them. It is wise to validate and empathize with what they are feeling and then help them to navigate their anxiety.  

 

IDEAS: 

  • Learn about veterinarians. The different kinds, such as small animals, large animals, and exotic animals.

  • Read stories from James Herriot, the author of All Creatures Great and Small.

  • Ask a veterinarian to speak to your class.

  • Have a show and tell about pets.

LEAVIN' IT BETTER

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ABOUT:

Some days Winston and I join my daughter, Olivia, and my grandchildren, Soren and Willow, on their morning walk to school. Olivia has instilled in Soren and Willow to leave things better than how they find them. For instance, on this particular morning, paper litter lay all along the sidewalk and immediately Soren and Willow started gathering it up to put in the trashcan by the playground. Close by, a little girl walked with her father and she started to help, but her father stopped her and said, “Let someone else clean this up.” The little girl looked disappointed. When we came to the school, Olivia knelt and hugged her children, calling them nature’s heroes. This, I thought, is a good message for all children, and I wrote this story.

 

PURPOSE:

Trusting children with responsibilities leads to a sense of worth. Age-appropriate tasks in the home or classroom make children feel capable, as well as proud. Also, as my daughter is doing, helping children recognize opportunities to contribute to the common good, like picking up paper trash. Of course, it is also important to teach children what to pick up and what to leave alone. It is my hope that children will identify with Winston’s dilemma, Soren’s willingness to help him, and Winston being cognizant to leave things better and putting up his toys. Small steps will lead to big gains. 

 

SUGGESTIONS: 

Life can get frantic, and it takes a lot of patience and consistency to teach responsibility. It is so easy to react instead of responding, to lecture and criticize. Believe me, I was guilty of this while raising my children. But I learned to build bridges instead of erecting walls. Being specific in assigning tasks instead of general ones really helps children catch the vision. Instead of “clean your room, maybe tell them to pick up their toys or put their dirty clothes in the hamper. When that is completed, move on to another task. And if it isn’t done perfectly, remember, while practice doesn’t guarantee perfection, it does lead to a more responsible child. 

 

IDEAS: 

  • Play a What If game. Have cards with “what if” questions on them, such as, what if all the drinking glasses are in your room? Then have them call out answers. Follow up with the question What needs to be done?

  • While children are out of the room, move several items out of place, such as pillows on the floor, clothes draped over furniture, paper scattered, etc. If doing this in a classroom, have several things out of place.  Then have the children identify what is wrong with the room. Ask them why these things are wrong. Then ask what needs to be done and ask them to make it right. 

  • Make a list of professions such as a teacher, firefighter, doctor, builder, taxi driver, etc. Make copies and give them to family members or students. Assign each profession a number, then ask questions such as, “Who is responsible to put out fires?” Have the children write the number by the profession. When the game is finished, talk about what might happen if the people on the list didn’t do their job.  This helps with understanding the importance of people being responsible in their jobs. 

  • Winston depends on me being responsible. I feed him, make sure he has water, take him on walks, give him a lot of love, and make sure he goes to get his checkups. Discuss with your children or students what their pets need to be healthy. 

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