Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

After misbehaving throughout "Don't Be That KID! At School" and "Don't Be That KID! At Home," our KID looks at himself in the mirror and asks himself some important questions: What kind of a KID do I want to be?"; "How do I have to change to get there?" The following pages are a collage of our KID behaving properly.

The "mirror" scenes are important because they give parents, grandparents and educators an opportunity to discuss the importance of self-reflection. Self-reflection is a process where you increase your understanding of who you are, what you value, and why you think and behave the way you do. By understanding who you are now and who you want to become, you can identify the steps you will need to take to attain any goal.

To begin, it's necessary to clarify your values... what matters most to you. It permits you to think about the consequences of your actions. Self-reflection allows us to respond to situations; not merely reacting to them.

Let's look at the collages in the "Don't Be That KID!" Series. After having fun discussing each small section, go back to each prior scene in the book to discuss what our KID needs to do to make the positive changes to get into the collage. Then transition the discussion to your child's behavior and what your expectations are.

Children aren't born with the ability to self-reflect. It's a skill that can be taught beginning at an early age. It's easy to begin the process. Simply ask each day: "What was the best part of your day today?" "Why?" "How can you build upon it?" Then: "What didn't work as well?" "Can you change it?" "How?"

As an adult, I ask myself those questions every day. It always helps motivate me to improve!