Fun with Character: Asking for a Friend

It often happens that when we hit troubled times, we react differently than the advice we would give a friend in a similar circumstance. This exercise will hopefully point that out. Ask the class for examples of encouraging things can you say to a friend or family member to help them feel better when they are troubled. Try to align the suggestions as an acronym for BOUNCE to reinforce the visual of bouncing back. If there is another phrase (Shake it off or Let it go) that is more appropriate for your class, feel free to use it. There are good suggestions that do not fit these letters so when you get one of these, write it below the word. Some examples are below. Pick a few to show them some examples. Add any others you like if you hit a lull. After you believe you have exhausted the examples, ask them to quietly think about things they say to themselves in their head when they are struggling with something. Ask them to pick their “go-to” phrase from this list they can use to encourage themselves whenever they have negative self-talk. Download the image of the heart inside a thought bubble and have them write this phrase inside the heart. Older students may be able to draw their own heart-shaped thought bubble. Encourage them to put this somewhere they will see it and remind them to use it.

Examples:
Be strong and try again; Break – take a break if you need, too;
Others have gone thru this too; Open yourself to new possibilities; Optimism – look for things that went right
Understand what went wrong so you can fix it next time; Up your game by finding ways to learn or practice to be better next time
Need friends – ask them for help; New – find something new to do; Not let it affect other areas
Choices – try to think of all the choices you have now; Courage – use your courage to be strong
Every cloud has a silver lining; Empathy – have empathy for others having similar issues

Other Phrase Examples:
Is it really as bad as it seems?
Have hope
Shake it off/Let it go
Talk to adults
You are good at other things.