S.O.S. Blog #6 - 05/21/10

For the last 20 years I have worked part time at a middle school. During the first 12 years, I supervised the Student Services area where kids who were having a bad day spent time. Some students spent a lot of hours there. Many of them were kids who just couldn’t keep quiet or sit still, whether because of ADD, ADHD or some emotional or behavioral disorder. It was easy to label certain ones as Troublesome or Underachieving.
I remember thinking then - and still believe - that the traits which caused those kids to struggle through school would one day be the qualities that could create a very successful adult life. Social communication is a skill that is highly regarded in most professions - especially fields such as sales, marketing, public relations, teaching, and consulting.
The energy that used to prevent students from sitting tranquilly at their desks is now welcomed by companies who need go-getters to produce their product or provide their services. Of course, remembering that the Wild Child can grow up to be a Successful Adult can be quite a challenge - whether you’re a teacher or a parent.
The trick is to prepare all children for adulthood and give them the tools to prosper in real life. If you have questions or concerns about helping the kids in your life develop the skills they need to succeed, you’ll definitely want to check out the Cline-Fay Love and Logic Institute materials. After facilitating Love and Logic classes for over 18 years (and using it on my 3 children, as well as at school), I’m even more convinced that it’s the best program out there. They offer many free resources on their website, in addition to a wide variety of books, CDs and DVDs. Go to www.LoveandLogic.com and let me know how it works for you. And, if you know of a group who would like to offer the program, I'd love to hear from them, too.

Positive Spin Tip #5: It may not be a good idea to label people, but it is a great idea to label almost everything else in your home or office. In fact, LABEL is the next step in the G.I.G.G.L.E.™ process. After you GET MOVING, IDENTIFY, and GROUP you need to LABEL. When preparing to sort through a drawer, cupboard, shelf, or closet, gather empty containers and markers or sticky notes to label them. Then, as you IDENTIFY each item, you can GROUP like objects or documents together in a labeled box, basket, file, or other container. The LABEL step is the one that helps make your hard work last! Watch future blogs for more details on sorting through clutter (paper, computer, stuff). If you need help getting your G.I.G.G.L.E.™ process to work, a phone or on site consultation may be the answer. Just let me know - Susi@MessDistress.com