Games That Teach About Selfishness? Top Answer Update

When I think of the men and women who have served our country and the many sacrifices their families have made, the word selflessness springs to mind. Without those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, the freedoms we hold so dear would already be gone.

In honor of the self-sacrifice of veterans and their families, it seems appropriate to consider how we can instill these values ​​in our children. If we do that, they and our world will benefit too. It’s a win-win deal!

Ironically, people with a healthy attitude towards selflessness tend to be far happier than those who are self-absorbed. Many classical psychological theories and techniques have completely missed this point. They focus on “getting in touch with oneself,” “self-actualization,” or “personal growth,” at the expense of emphasizing that personal growth and happiness come most naturally from occasionally putting oneself in the position of service in life to improve others. These classic theories ignore the documented reality that our brains are filled with “mirror neurons,” bundles of nerve cells that allow us to connect with others’ feelings and thereby meet their needs.

When we focus too much on ourselves, we start peeling an onion in search of a seed. We spend our lives in a senseless pursuit of something that doesn’t exist. Let’s give our children the opportunity to live truly impactful and fulfilling lives by teaching them that it really is better to give than to receive. Here are some ways you can help your children learn selflessness.

Make sure they have a bonding basis of love and trust

Narcissism, the ultimate opposite of selflessness, grows from one of two very different types of soil. The deepest type sprout from the seed of abuse, neglect, or chronic criticism when early in life the child sees the word as a place for dog and hound.

The first year of life is all about knowing that someone loves us enough to consistently meet our physical and emotional needs. When we are loved in this way, we have the necessary foundation to eventually learn how to love others unselfishly.

Children who don’t experience this early in life need caring and committed adults (and often highly skilled therapists) who can help them build this foundation of love and trust.

Teach them to serve you and their families

Narcissism also springs from the soil of permissiveness and excess. Do your children work hard to serve you, or do you do all the work? Children should not be treated as slaves. However, they should be expected to do their fair share of household chores lest they think their parents are slaves. Too many children look down on their mothers and fathers as butlers, maids and limousine drivers rather than loving authority figures.

Do your kids have a list of items (aka “chores”) they need to do on different days or at different times of the week? Do you hold them responsible for not fulfilling the duties within the prescribed time limits? Are you doing this with empathy and not with anger, lectures, threats, or bribes?

Teach them to look inside, not just outside

One mum commented: “I was trying to teach my four year old that everyone has something deep down that hurts. Everyone is dealing with some kind of fight or serious fight. Even people who look like they have it all are still struggling with something. I kept saying, “In our family, we try to look inside rather than outside.” One day she innocently remarked, “I don’t have an X-ray. How can I see inside someone?'”

Selfless people don’t have x-rays, but they learn to use x-ray thinking. You look at people from a deeper perspective and try to understand what is going on in the heart of the other person. As a result, they are far less likely to take unnecessary offense and protect themselves. Instead, they are more likely to experience empathy and serve by extending an ear and a helping hand.

As we model this important attitude and talk about it with our children, it’s important to remember that this is an exceptionally high skill/attitude that many adults never master. Expecting our kids to suddenly “get it” is a surefire way to set everyone up for frustration and disappointment. The wiser approach is to think of this as a lifelong process that will gradually rub off on them as they grow up and mature.

Expect tangible mini-actions

There is a “train” at Denver International Airport that takes passengers from the main terminal to the various airport concourses. Most people have to stand, but there is some seating in the front and back of each car. Too often, the seats are occupied by children, teenagers and young adults, while the elderly, even the elderly, are forced to stand.

Is something wrong with this picture? Should our children sit when older adults have to stand? What wonderful lessons can we learn if we expect them to stand up and offer their place to someone else?

Do your children hold doors for people? When they stand in line, do they offer someone to go ahead of them? Do they offer to carry something for someone who is struggling?

A while ago, several rough looking, heavily tattooed, pierced teenagers brightened my day. As I was struggling with five large sheets of drywall in a parking lot, they rushed at me and yelled, “Dude! You need help! Let’s go get it, man, that’s too heavy for a guy.” I wanted to hug these guys, but I thought that would be a little weird!

Do you model this mini file of service? Are you finding ways for your children to follow your lead?

allow boredom

Too many of us feel compelled to entertain our kids whenever they’re a little bored. Can you see the connection between what they do and their belief that they are the center of the universe? Is it good for kids to occasionally get bored shopping, chatting to someone, waiting in line, or spending a quiet weekend at home?

Many young children wear devices for instant boredom prevention. Since they have a phone or tablet and have constant access to videos while their parents shop or do similar less stimulating things, they will be entertained. If we do that, are we stealing them? Could this practice be contributing to the number of young people who have absolutely no impulse control skills?

Limit exposure to popular media

Are the relationships portrayed in most television shows, modern day movies, and other media the kind we want our children to emulate? We can certainly argue that children are exposed to some level of dysfunctional behavior because it gives us an opportunity to talk to them about the downsides of such behavior. A steady, unattended diet of on-screen narcissism and negativity is sure to make our job of raising selfless children that much more difficult.

Community service as a privilege, not a punishment

Too often “community service” is seen as something done only by drunk drivers and others who have broken the law. At a Love and Logic home, community service isn’t a punishment. Instead, it should be an opportunity – a privilege. It should be seen as an opportunity to be part of something important, necessary and noble.

Research has shown that children who serve in their community are much less likely to be involved in high-risk activities such as drug use, sex, gang involvement, etc. They are also rather good at school.

Great parents occasionally say things like, “That’s great! Today we can go to the Elm Street Nursing Home and read to seniors who can’t see well enough to read themselves.” Or they say, “The park is trashed. It will feel so good to help clean up!”

Great parents also ignore complaints and eye rolls when loading the family into the car. Like most things that are good for them, children often need a little nudge to realize how good it feels to help. A friend of mine said, “At first they hated it. Now they love it. It has become a real opportunity for family bonding.”

Plenty of time for neurological development

Children tend to be naturally self-centered. From a developmental perspective, the movement toward consistent selfless thinking is something that continues into adolescence or young adulthood. In fact, many older adults struggle with this concept. I struggle with this concept!

In honor of our veterans and their families, can we think carefully about raising young people who understand selflessness and that the best way to feel good is to serve?

For more practical parenting solutions for military families, check out our digital audio, Love and Logic for Heroes. If you are a member of a military family, call us at 800-338-4065 to get this free MP3 download.

Thank you for reading!

dr Charles Fay

Games can be the perfect tool to introduce and teach social and emotional learning skills to children and young adults. These are the skills that help children become more confident, form positive relationships, show empathy for others, manage emotions, exercise self-control, resolve conflict, and make positive decisions. If you need more background on SEL, be sure to read Basics of Social-Emotional Learning.

So often, educators are so busy delivering our curriculum and content that we sometimes give up those skills. It’s so important to really make time for them and incorporate them into many of the activities you’re already doing! For kids who struggle with some of these skills, learning these skills can be real work. With that in mind, it’s important to make learning these skills meaningful, interactive, practical, and fun. That’s why teaching social emotional skills in the form of a game just makes so much sense!

Here are several games (some I bought and some I developed myself) that target these critical social-emotional learning skills:

1. Social Problem Solving Board Game

Why It Matters: Social problem solving is our ability to understand a social situation and deal with it rationally in the most socially appropriate way. We really use these skills every day. At school, children may have problems solving what to do when someone isn’t nice to them or when they see someone breaking a rule and aren’t sure what to do. At home, they might use them when an adult tells them to tidy their room, but they don’t feel like it at the moment.

How it works: This game focuses on looking at a social issue, thinking about what matters, weighing choices and consequences, and ultimately making a decision that is best for the moment. Children roll the dice and work their way through a game board, picking up a situation card for each spot they land on. My favorite part is that kids also act out scenarios that can help them generalize social skills over time.

2. Team pictogram

Why It Matters: Teamwork is a crucial skill for all ages. This is a skill that children and young adults use throughout the school day, but also outside of school, whether it’s during a sports game or while playing with friends at home. As they learn to work together as a team, children also learn other valuable skills, including confident communication, listening, taking turns, accepting a fair share of work, and respectfully disagreeing. These are not just school skills, they are life skills.

How it works: Split into two teams. Have each team choose an artist to draw for their team. Have the artists choose a card with a phrase to illustrate on paper or on the board. Have both artists draw at the same time while their team tries to guess the correct sentence they are drawing. The catch is that the artist can only draw images and not words, so team members have to work together to get to what the artist is drawing. The team that guesses the phrase first wins! The game can be continued over and over again as there are different artists to choose from the group.

3. Society communication board game

Why It Matters: Put simply, children need to be able to communicate well with others. This includes making small talk with a classmate in the hallway, understanding nonverbal cues, having an extended conversation with our peers over lunch, and using our social filter before we speak. Our communication skills have a huge impact on how we get along with others and build relationships over time.

How it works: This game is ideal for all children but especially for those with social language problems. Depending on which space children fall into, they need to decipher social cues from a real photo, discuss what they would do or say in a situation, figure out how to think before speaking, or a specific phrase in a variety of say different tones. Because there are over 150 unique cards, kids can just play over and over again while practicing these skills.

4. Empathy Board Game

Why it’s important: Considering and understanding the feelings of others is a fundamental skill that supports social success. In order to know the “right” or socially appropriate response to situations, we must first truly understand how others are feeling. Developing empathy is not easy for all children, especially those with social challenges and autism. It’s important to highlight situations by stopping and thinking about how someone else might be feeling or thinking. While thinking about how a situation might make you feel is a good start, aiming for how someone else might feel is crucial. That’s because true empathy is really about understanding the thoughts and feelings of others, which can often be different from our own.

How it works: Students work in pairs and small groups to complete an empathy game board. Whoever has a turn rolls the die and spins the spinner. Your place on the board and the spinner tell you how to answer each card. For example, they may need to answer: Why is this important? How might they feel? What could you think? what could you do Students may also need to act out what they would do in this situation. There are over 150 unique situations to help kids discuss real-world scenarios and build empathy.

5. Social charades

Why It Matters: A big component of social awareness is learning to recognize and understand the social signals of others. These social cues, including our body language and facial expressions, often inform others about how we’re feeling, what we’re thinking, and what our intentions are.

How it works: Make a list of different actions or let the kids make them up themselves. Any action will do! Some examples might be waiting at the bus stop, sharpening a pencil, listening to music, entering a race, taking notes in class, and so on. The idea is that children choose an action at random and act it out for the others to guess. As they act out these scenarios, students must consider what social cues would be consistent with this activity. Best of all, this is a quick activity you can do with just a few minutes left in class time that kids will love.

6. Roll & Spin a coping strategy

Why It Matters: The ability to manage our emotions is a crucial skill. We all experience hard emotions, setbacks or challenges along the way. It’s just a natural part of life. How we deal with these difficulties can have a major impact on our success. This is why it is so important to explicitly teach coping strategies and skills to deal with our feelings on the spot. Sometimes children cannot self-soothe without being explicitly taught these strategies. Children and young adults need to learn to take brisk walks, journal, take deep breaths, and use positive self-talk to calm themselves and make themselves feel better in difficult moments. Also, it’s important for children to practice these strategies when they’re already calm so they can actually use them when they’re emotionally overwhelmed.

How it works: Students take turns rolling and rotating on a single-sided board. Depending on what they roll and spin, they fall into a space with a coping strategy they need to practice. Once they have practiced this strategy, they can cover the spot with a chip. Note that if you have different colored chips, students can have their own boards or share them. The first person to cross a whole row wins! Ultimately, it’s about children practicing a variety of coping skills that give them access to more skills when they really need them.

7. Feelings Uno

Why It Matters: Self-awareness is a crucial skill that helps individuals understand their own emotions. In this activity, students can improve their emotional vocabulary by discussing a variety of different emotion words and their meanings. It also helps normalize talking about different emotions and feel comfortable sharing how we’re feeling in the moment. Getting kids to talk about emotions is key.

How it works: This game just adds a simple twist to your regular Uno game that all kids absolutely LOVE! Using the Uno colors, discuss what each color might mean. Blue can stand for sadness, tiredness, boredom or nausea. Green represents feeling happy, calm, focused, and in control. Yellow means feeling frustrated, worried, or nervous. Finally, red should stand for angry. Each time a student plays a suit of a card, teach them to use an emotion word that goes with the suit, share when they felt that way, or discuss when someone might have felt that way.

8. Executive function challenge

Why It Matters: Executive functioning skills are the processes in our brain that help us accomplish tasks. Sometimes we might think that these skills are only related to academics, but that’s actually not true. Our executive skills help us use our self-control to stop and think before saying something inappropriate, our flexibility to consider different solutions to social problems, and our time management to make sure we meet up with a friend on time . When executive skills are stronger, children and young adults have a greater chance of succeeding in school and beyond.

How it works: This game can be played in two different ways: partners and small groups or as a whole class. The idea is for students to work through a game board and answer a variety of questions about how leaders work as they head towards the finish line. The game cards require students to complete leadership functioning challenges, act through situations, name leadership functioning skills used in a situation, and demonstrate their knowledge of the skills themselves. In the full-class version, kids can work in teams, collaborate on answers, and earn “points” to win the challenge.

9. Guess who?

Why It Matters: This game builds on many different social skills. As kids find more clues about the mystery person, they’ll learn conversation, twists and problem-solving skills.

How it works: Children and young people can play the game as it is intended. Each partner has a mysterious character. The idea is for the other partner to ask multiple questions to try to discover the character. For example, you might ask “Does your persona wear a hat?” and “Does your persona have blue eyes?”. Students take turns until one player can identify the correct mystery person.

10. Self-Control Speedway

Why It’s Important: Self-control is the skill that helps us stop, reflect, and make positive decisions. Children and young people need plenty of practice with self-control in low-stress moments (like games and light-hearted discussions) so they can use skills effectively when they need them most.

How it works: Students play the game by taking turns rolling the dice and moving forward on the game board. When they land on a spot, use the image to tell them which card to pick up and read. Students read the card to discuss the question or act out the scenario. Practice includes reading through real scenarios, practicing calming strategies, and more.

11. Partner Scrabble

Why It’s Important: Learning to work collaboratively with others is a crucial skill. In this game, students learn to work collaboratively to form words for the game board.

How it works: Have students play Scrabble with a partner or a small team. Each team starts with 7 letters and works to form the highest earning words on the board. This game also builds on turn-taking and cognitive flexibility.

If you love the games I’ve put together, you can save by buying them as a whole set! This Social Emotional Learning Games Bundle practices empathy, perspective taking, executive functioning skills, communication and more.

Use these games during breaks, in small groups, as an end-of-the-week treat, or just for a fun brain break. Kids will have fun, but you’ll know you’re working on some serious SEL skills that make a difference!

We come into this world hardwired to look for the number one. If you don’t believe it, spend some quality time with young children. One of the first words children learn is “mine,” which they use liberally to claim the toys, snacks, or people they set their sights on. So how do we teach our children to overcome a seemingly natural tendency and be selfless by putting others first?

I was with a friend and her seven kids a while ago and it struck me how well all of her kids, from 12 year old to two year old, shared and even spoke selflessly and said things like, ‘You can go first ‘ and ‘We can play whatever game you want to play.’ I whispered to her, ‘What have you done to make them behave this way?’ After our conversation, I went selflessly with these 6 ideas on how to teach children to be.

1. Start early.

Because it is such a natural impulse for children to think and act selfishly, correct this behavior early and consistently. If your kids are toddlers, simple explanations like “You have to share and be kind” or “We don’t steal our friend’s toys” will suffice. The reasons for this will come later.

2. Connect selfishness and unselfishness with lessons of faith.

Some of the finest examples of giving and thinking of others are found in Scripture. As you share Bible stories with your child, don’t miss the opportunity to point out these examples and how we should follow them. The Old Testament story of Esther and the New Testament parable of the Good Samaritan are easy for children to understand and clear examples of selfless love and sacrifice.

3. Destroy the entitlement monster.

Our culture has done a masterful job of instructing parents to protect their children’s self-esteem at all costs. One of the unintended consequences of this self-image barrage is that many of our children have developed a real entitlement to the right friends, the right schools, the right clothes, and the right car. Look for signs in your children’s language and behavior that entitlement is developing, and remind them that much of what they have is a blessing and it is important that we share it with others , instead of constantly striving to acquire and consume more.

4. Build a culture of sharing in your home.

Sharing is a habit we can build in our families. Sharing meals together. share tasks together. Share your time. A parent can lead by example and demonstrate selflessness in a way that is practical and relevant to the children’s everyday lives. For example, if dad usually takes out the trash but is late at work this week, feel free to take it out for him. You can refer to this example when, due to external factors, one child has to help another with household chores. The message: We are a family. We’re in this together.

5. Set up the stage properly.

We learn so much of how our children see the world from how we portray it. Instead of encouraging your kids to go to medical school so they can “become a doctor and make a lot of money,” you can intentionally pursue a different vision. Help them see how achieving this goal will empower them to help others, using their time and expertise to care for those in need. Consistently present your family’s goals and ideas with an other-centric twist.

6. Praise a generous heart.

If you think character traits like generosity are just as important as academic achievement, act on them. Watching one of your children model unselfish behavior makes it as big a deal as giving an A on the big math test. The promised child will be encouraged to continue doing what is right, and the siblings will also get the message.

What is one lesson you have learned about selflessness that you can pass on to your children?

The first step to stopping these behaviors is to recognize that there is a problem with your child. Next is deciding to stop it. Remember that this type of behavior robs your child of character. So I am including a few steps from my book Don’t Give Me That Attitude for you to consider!

Step 1. Go below the surface

Here are some common and less obvious reasons that can contribute to your child’s selfish attitude. Tick ​​those that apply to you.

You spoil the child for your own bad reasons (eg, guilt, compensation, avoidance, “love”).

You don’t treat discipline and setting boundaries as high priorities in your upbringing.

You or another adult family member are modeling selfishness.

Your child feels neglected.

Your child is jealous of a partner or sibling.

Your child resents your indulgence in luxury and privilege.

Your child was never taught the value of selflessness.

Your child has low emotional intelligence and has difficulty recognizing or understanding other people’s emotions.

Your child is angry, anxious, depressed, or has another problem that makes it difficult for them to think about others.

Step 2. Blaming selfishness

An important step in suppressing children’s selfish attitudes is simply not tolerating them. You’re right: it won’t be easy, especially when your child is used to being catered for for a long time. But if you’re really serious about changing that attitude, you have to be steadfast and consistent. Begin by clearly stating your new attitude expectations: “In this house, you are always to be considerate of others.” Then, whenever your child acts selfishly, loudly express your disapproval. Be sure to state why their behavior was wrong and consider taking consequences if the selfish attitude persists.

“That was selfish: I expect you to treat your friends as you would like to be treated yourself.”

“I’m very concerned when I see that you monopolize all video games and don’t share them with your boyfriend. You must not treat people selfishly.”

Step 3. Encourage empathy to reduce selfishness

Empathic children can understand where other people are coming from because they can put themselves in their shoes and feel how they feel. And because they can “feel” for someone else, they are more generous, selfless, and caring. So encourage your child’s empathy so they can see beyond themselves and into the perspectives of others.

Point out the feelings of others. Point out the facial expressions, postures and behaviors of people in different emotional states and their predicaments to help children adjust to other people’s feelings. When you have a chance, explain your concern and what clues helped you to gauge your feelings: “Did you notice Kelly’s face when you played today? I was worried because she seemed worried about something. Maybe you should talk to her to see if she’s okay.”

Imagine someone’s feelings. Help your child to imagine how the other person feels in a particular situation. “Imagine you’re a new kid in a brand new school and you don’t know anyone. How will you feel?” Look for everyday situations that might encourage empathy. Ask “How would you feel?” and “How is the other person feeling?” helps children understand other people’s feelings and needs.

Parent: “Dad had a long, hard day at the office. How do you think he feels?”

Child: “Kind of tired.”

Parent: “So what could you do to make him feel better?”

Child: “I think I could turn down my TV so it’s not so loud.”

Parent: That’s a great idea! It would be a nice way to let Daddy know you’re thinking of him.”

Step 4. Set boundaries

One reason children become selfish is because they are used to asserting themselves. Set clear boundaries and then stick to them like glue. Don’t give in to the whining, pouting, tantrums, and guilt-ridden admonitions, “You’re the worst parent in the world!” This might be difficult when you think your main job is to be your child’s best friend. Reset your thinking. See yourself as the adult and acknowledge that hundreds of child development studies have concluded that children whose parents set clear expectations of behavior were less selfish children. You may need to have a serious conversation with other significant figures in your children’s lives who are guilty of overindulgence. Make it clear to these people that you are serious about curbing your child’s selfish attitudes and that you need their cooperation to do so.

Step 5. Reinforce selfless action

Parents who raise selfless, caring children do not do so by accident. They consciously ensure that their children are aware of the rights, feelings and needs of others. This means you have to fight the tendency to make your child feel like the world revolves around them. You’ll be much happier with the result: a more considerate, caring child.

Of course, one of the quickest ways to increase selflessness is to “catch” your child doing considerate and selfless acts. Always remember to describe the act so that virtue can be clearly understood and point out the effect it had on the recipient. This will also help her be more likely to repeat the same generous act another time.

“Did you see Kelly’s smile as you shared your toys? You made her happy.” “Thank you for taking the time to ask how my day went.”

Noël Castellanos

dr Borba is the author of 20 books. Her latest book is 12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know: Back to Basics and Raising Happy Kids (Jossey-Bass-Wiley 2006). She is a former classroom and college teacher and has a wide range of teaching experience, including working in the regular classroom and working with children with learning, physical, behavioral and emotional disabilities. She and her husband were partners in a private practice for needy youth.

dr Borba received a PhD in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of San Francisco, an MA in Learning Disabilities and a BA from the University of Santa Clara, and earned a Life Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. She lives with her husband in Palm Springs, California and has three sons.

Children learn when parents are good role models. But when it comes to developing great communication and social skills, practicing with other children can be invaluable. Building strong social skills can help children make friends and feel better equipped to deal with stress and other issues while they develop and grow knowing that they have the support of those around them. One of the best ways for kids to learn good communication is to have them interact in a group and take advantage of the teachable moments that arise. Board games are fun and one of the easiest ways for kids to connect with each other. Playing a game requires patience, being able to take turns, accepting and obeying rules, and being friendly to fellow players – win or lose. We have listed below some of our favorite games that you can try with your kids which develop great social skills through conversation, teamwork, listening and other qualities that can help your kids to develop socially. While games like UNO, Jenga, and Snap may not be groundbreaking or new, we love them because, with a few simple tweaks, they can be used to teach valuable communication skills. All three games are popular too, which means your kids can learn to play them at home and then use that knowledge to play at school or at a friend’s house.

UNO How to Play UNO UNO is a card game played with a specially printed deck. The aim of the game is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. UNO is great for building social skills that can be used in many multiplayer games, e.g. B. Take turns, follow the rules and be a good winner or loser. The game also builds other important skills like color matching, counting and using your fingers and hands. Shape and show off your best friendship skills while playing Uno so your kids can see what great social skills look like. Remember to follow the rules, make sure each player takes their turn, and compliment others when they make a great move. Another way to teach great social skills is to demonstrate antisocial behavior — like discarding extra cards or missing someone’s turn — and start a discussion about how your kids feel when they someone doesn’t follow the rules. Remember to always come back to good friendship skills throughout the game and have fun while you learn what it means to be a great buddy.

Jenga How to Play Jenga Jenga is a coordination game in which players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower of blocks. Each removed block is then placed on top of the tower, creating an increasingly taller and more unstable structure. Jenga is a great game for building decision-making skills and improving hand-to-eye coordination. The goal of this game is to teach kids the importance of being patient, how to be a good friend under pressure, and how to contain your excitement when mom or dad knocks down the tower. For a challenge, write the numbers 1 through 9 on the side of each block (put a line under the 9 because it looks like a 6 upside down!). The next game you play, use a deck that tells each player which blocks to remove. Playing Jenga with cards helps kids identify and match numbers, but can also encourage them to ask for help when they need it. Asking for help is a great social skill and can be done in 4 simple steps: Look at the person. Ask the person if they can help you. Explain clearly what kind of help you need. Thank the person for their help

Snap How to Play Snap Snap is a classic card game in which players compete to be the first to say “Snap!”. when two cards match. The general idea is to win all the cards by matching the pairs fastest. Snap is all about understanding how to control excitement. If you don’t control your excitement when you win, people around you may get annoyed and stop playing with you. For kids who are new to socializing, Snap is perfect as it can be played with just two people (let’s just say mom, dad and your child(ren)). Playing Snap in pairs creates an enjoyable space for children to practice existing social skills or try something new, such as B. Complimenting the other player when they win. Snap is also great for teaching winning and losing behavior as you will experience both more frequently during this game. The rules for Snap are fairly simple, making it the ideal game to give your kids some practice in spotting antisocial behavior. For example, you can discard two cards at once, take the exact card you want, or say “snap” when the cards don’t match. Take your antisocial behavior to the next level and disagree with someone else’s snap, take too long to discard a card, or turn over a card too soon. Always follow cheating with a discussion of how it feels when a friend cheats or doesn’t play properly, and always show positive social skills when you’re done showing your kids how not to play the game.

Play the game UNO using the standard deck, setup, and game rules. To add the twist, each color represents a different emotion:

When a player lays a yellow card, the player shares a time when they felt lucky or something that makes them happy.

When a player puts down a blue card, the player shares when they were sad or something that makes them sad.

When a player puts down a red card, the player is sharing a time when they were angry or something that makes them angry.

When a player puts down a green card, the player communicates when they felt calm/relaxed or something that makes them feel calm/relaxed.

Classrooms are busy places where young children learn all sorts of things, including social and emotional skills, e.g. B. how to express feelings and how to collaborate with friends on a project. Here are some suggestions on how you can help your child develop social and emotional skills at home.

dolls. Teachers sometimes talk to children about conflicts and help them think about solutions while using puppets, and families can try this technique at home. Dolls are a great way to introduce children to feelings like happy, sad, angry, and children sometimes talk to dolls about their feelings. Puppets can also help with discussions about challenging topics, such as B. Going to bed on time.

think out loud Listening to your thought process helps your child understand how to deal with frustration and solve problems: “Oops. My favorite shopping bag has a hole in it. I better take one with me when I go shopping.”

Read bedtime stories. There’s something magical about this end-of-the-day routine that makes it the ideal time to talk about feelings. Discuss the characters and events in the story. Encourage your child to share their thoughts and feelings by asking questions, “What do you think they should do? How do you think she feels? What would you do if you were that character?”

Do a job together. Instead of asking your child to do a chore on their own, do it with them. As a couple you can fold laundry, set the table, rake leaves or paint a wall. Help your child join in by trimming the handle of a broom to make it child-friendly, or providing a small brush or roller.

Play games. Card and board games, as well as outdoor games like tag and hop-scotch, provide built-in ways to help kids take turns, cooperate, deal with frustration, and more. When playing together, focus on having fun instead of winning or losing.

Prevent potential problems. Before a friend comes to play, help your child put away toys they don’t want to share. Before taking the bus to the zoo, explain step by step what you will do: “We wait 5 minutes at the bus stop, then get on the bus and sit together and watch the sights go by 30 minutes [explain this than the length of an episode of a favorite TV show]. Then we’ll walk three blocks to the zoo and, first of all, see the lion house!” During the drive, remind your preschooler about what’s about to happen next.

Source: Adapted from Message in a Backpack, Teaching Young Children 4(4):12

I shared this post last year but found it relevant considering school is about to start again for many kids. Selflessness is such a wonderful quality in this egocentric world that we live in today. I want our children to be thoughtful… thoughtful of others while still being kind to themselves. Here are ten activities to teach selflessness and remind kids to be considerate of others’ feelings…even in a self-centered world.

1. Be a role model.

You must be a model of kindness if you want your children to be kind to others. My parents were always nice to others. They still are (and everyone tells me so). I tried to be the same.

One day as I was tucking our son in at night he said, “Mom, yesterday when you were helping that man out of his car with the stick, Dad told us to look at you and see how you were helping others because he it wants to be like you.”

You could have just stopped my heart – how sweet and awesome to know that they are watching your selflessness even if you don’t know it. Be the example they’re looking for…even if you don’t realize they’re looking.

2- Do not talk about others (gossip) in front of your children!

SERIOUS! You listen and absorb everything like a sponge. You will soon start doing the same. I see this all too often in my line of work.

3- Greet strangers. This is one of my favorite ways to teach selflessness and this one might piss my husband off, but I can’t help it. I greet random people and even start conversations with the people standing next to me in the supermarket. My mom and grandma made this and I’ve always loved seeing how it puts a smile on the other person’s face. I feel like we have the power to make EVERYONE feel special, any time of the day! 4- Be “all there” with your family. Read this book for the 10th time this week, make blueberry muffins because you know your son loves them, and hug them out of the blue. Soon you will see them doing such things for each other. You must be present with your mind, spirit and heart…not just your body. We’ll grab a card from our ONE-ON-ONE TIME CARDS if we want more inspiration for this activity. 5- Tell them stories about times you helped someone else. Kids love to hear things like this, so try to be a good example even when they’re not watching. Tell them stories, read books, watch movies…anything that has great examples of friendly characters. 6- Teach a man to fish. You know the quote, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day?” If you teach a man to fish, will you feed him for life?” My brother once told me this quote when I was in high school (when I asked him to plug in my new computer), and I haven’t forgotten it . As an adult, I try to give our kids plenty of opportunities to help each other… “Can you show your brother that cool bug you found? Can you help your sister up the stairs?” The more they help, the more natural it becomes and the more often they do it without being asked. 7- LOOK at your child! Let your child know you see and hear them. Let them know when you’re proud of them. People love words of affirmation. 8. Help them understand WHY we do what we do. I tell our kids why I volunteer and how it helps others. Give them opportunities to volunteer with you. 9. Reward kindness. I use a kindness reward system in our home and it has been AMAZING. The kids are always trying to be nice to earn their cotton balls. 10. Model Integrity. Like CS Lewis said, “Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is looking.”

This is one of the most important activities for teaching selflessness and I talk about it with our children all the time. When I hear them say something nice to someone else, I comment on it. Most importantly, model what you want your children to learn. If you are kind to your children, they will also be kind to others because children imitate what they see. Be nice to them and they will be nice to others. talk to them Sing to them. hold her Cuddle them… tell them nice things and give them a chance to say nice things to you and each other too.

He wanted her to see what he saw, the good his keepers had done for humanity, the brave, selfless hearts of his men, the difference they had made in the fight against evil.

Wiki says

“Selfless – more concerned with the needs and desires of others than with one’s own; in other words altruistic”

A selfless person, goes beyond his concerns and shares emphasis with others, he is humble, he thinks outside the box, he really listens to others, puts himself in others’ shoes, says “we” instead of “I”, he celebrates Succeed together and face failure alone, and they find joy in helping others see happiness on their faces.

Our first selfless personalities

Parents are our first unselfish people in our lives. They teach us good versus evil, they encourage us to help others, they help us learn good habits, they guide and advise without limits. They sacrifice their time and life for us, they build our confidence in every step of our lives, they want us to achieve more than they achieved in their lives, they show us the way to existing possibilities, but at the same time they let us choose our own way.

Selfless Leaders

Like our parents, each of us has encountered many great leaders in our lives who have the true qualities of selfless qualities. They listen to us and understand us, they unselfishly praise and teach us, treat us with dignity, point us in the right direction and never hesitate to point out our wrong actions. They show us the way to success, help us to take the first step and strengthen us for tomorrow.

Along with my parents, Dr. Abdul Kalam, Mother Teresa and Swami Vivekananda leaders who I admire for their selfless qualities. One day Swami Vivekanad’s mother offered him a bowl of fruit and a knife. Vivekananda cut the fruit, ate it, and after that his mother said, “Son, please give me the knife, I need it.” Vivekananda immediately returned the knife. Mom said, “Son, you passed my exam.” Vivekananda asked surprisingly, “Mother, how did you test me?”

Mom replied: “Son, when I asked for the knife, I saw you hand it to me, you gave the knife by holding its sharp edge and holding the wooden handle of the knife to me. That way I wouldn’t hurt myself if I take it and that means you took care of me and that was your test you passed.

The person who thinks about the good of others instead of thinking about themselves will win many hearts in their life. A true selfless leader will think of others before he thinks of himself.

7 Traits of a Selfless Leader

Be simple and down to earth. They don’t play, but they show their true personality

Care for everyone regardless of race, religion, language and color and be transparent with everyone

They trust, empower, and facilitate command and control. They attract you to join them without coercion

They do not hurt others for their own benefit. They hold no grudges, they forgive and forget

They celebrate success together and face failure alone.

They are looking for ways to get involved and support others. They give their time and skills to educate others.

They inspire and ignite us to dream and nourish us to follow the dream.

Have you met your selfless leader?

We encounter many selfless personalities in our lives. We admire them and learn from them, and that learning is an ongoing process. It doesn’t stop at a single personality, the list gets bigger as you grow. Because we tend to admire, reflect and practice these leadership qualities in our lives. Everyone admires someone in life, it could be your parents, grandparents, brother, sister, your friend, someone you met in your professional life, a national hero, the list is endless.

If you follow the above principle you can be a selfless leader, reminds me of a great quote from Dr. Abdul Kalam.

“If you want to shine like a sun. First burn like a sun.” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

So be a person who embraces, empowers and enlightens others, which will make you a selfless leader of tomorrow

Finally, I submit this article to my selfless parents and my selfless guides who helped me write this.