Glass Marble Method

Glass Marble Method

-(Communication, Encourage Children, Nature Game)-

This is my personal experience using Glass Marble Method, to deal with children. Glass Marble Method is a reward and consequence technique that I learned from "Nanny 911" show. I modified some of this method to make it more interesting. Just enjoy your own modified method and make sure that it works. Play with peanut, bean, hazelnut rather than use marble, so you can explain more about environment.

The basic idea of this method is by giving one marble after your children doing something right, not giving any marble if the situation is neutral, and take one marble if your children doing something wrong.

I have two transparent jar. One is bigger than the other one. I use the small one to collect marbles for one month, and then transfer it into the big one once a month (I assume that the big jar is enough to collect all marbles for 6-12 months).

I put all the jar in a place where they can see it, but having difficulty to touch it. Rule number 2: you must make this marbles is "sacred". It means that you should have discussion with your children how to treat this jar and marbles with respect.

What really happened in real situation when we start to do this activity?
- First, she start to complain about the number of the marble she think she deserved when she do "right" things, and said that she don't want to play this game if she only get one marble.
- After a conversation, she said "allright then..." where we must put this jar?
- Day one-three, I put a marble everyday, to encourage her to do right thing, and yes-she helped a friend, ask for apologize to her mom (cos she said something bad before)...
-Day four, no marble... cos she get angry in the night, although s he helped a friend in the school before.
- Day five, no marble... cos she play with pen in my T Shirt, talking bad with her mom. I think she start to wonder... why I don't get any marble this day. She start to be more careful...
-...and life goes on ^_^ , que sera sera...

Hints:
- Don't stick to much with the rule. You also should know your time when you put one extra marble, or to take two marble at once.
- Use silver, white marble; or replace normal size marble with a bigger one. Just like my first hint, you should know the time.
- Discuss with kids, in the night-why you put or take marble(s). It's an important stage that you should do in this activity. Sometimes you get new informations from your kids, and you will understand better about their behaviour.
- Discuss with your partner, about this game. (S)he can give you another perspective how to deal with your boy/girl.
-  IMPORTANT: don't threat - like say : "I will take your marbles if you don't say you're sorry!" Just be calm and take the marble in the night. You should explain to your kid nicely without shouting :)

Picture taken from http://mypassporttostyle.blogspot.com

Are Opossums Playing Dead?

Are Opossums Playing Dead?
-(Shocking Nature News)-

-http://juiciejulz.blogspot.com/2008/06/fun-nature-facts.html 

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opossum -

When opossums are playing opossum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.

Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers.Opossums are about eight times less likely to carry rabies than wild dogs, and about one in eight hundred opossums are infected with this virus

Their unspecialized biology, flexible diet and reproductive strategy make them successful colonizers and survivors in diverse locations and conditions.

A baby opossum

When threatened or harmed, they will "play opossum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. When playing possum, the lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The physiological response is involuntary, rather than a conscious act. Their stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away. The animal will regain consciousness after a period of minutes or hours and escape.

Picture taken from http://thundafunda.com/393/?level=picture&id=2528 and http://hiox.org/3790-north-american.php

Clam Opener

Clam Opener

-(Encourage Children, Communication, Trust Building, Facilitation Technique)-

:) yes, I use "Clam Opener" term to describe the game we play in the night before sleep. The purpose of this game is to make children tell their story, opinion, experience, feeling in their daily life, to help us understand better about our kids. This activity also increase their writing ability and develop their imagination.

If you have same problem with us: come home late, limited time to communicate, or if your children have unique character to express their feeling, you should try this method.

We can play this game in the night, before sleep, or if you come home late everyday, at least you can play this game in the holiday. It only cost 15-30 minutes, and after that you can discuss more (I used to use before sleep time in the bed, to make conversation with them, and I think it's suite for you too ^_^).

Charmanta loves this game

Needs
Paper, pen, 2 or more person

Method
1. Find issues that is important (such as social relation with friends, teachers; feeling; attitude, etc)
2. Try to build and arrange questions that have direct / non-direct relation with that issues.
3. Ask the questions, tell them to write in the paper, and let them speak their answer after that.
4. Let somebody answer the questions too, so it just like a quiz that everybody participate.

This is an example to know social relation between your child and her/his friends:
1. What is your favorite food?
2. McD, Kentucky fried chicken, Gaya Tunggal Noodles, Klenger Burger. Which one do you choose as place to eat for dinner?
3. What is your favorite pet?
4. If you have money, where will you go with your family?What activity will be held?
5. Mention 3 names of your best friend.
6. Why do you pick them as your best friend?
7. Do you believe extra terestrial life? Why?
8. Honest, discipline, kind, funny, wise, friendly. Pick two character that can describe yourself? Why?
9. Writer, doctor, pilot, farmer, breeder, police, secretary. Pick two job that you love most? Why?
10. What is your favorite color?
11. Is there any friend that you don't like in the school? Why you don't like her/him/
12. You saw a kid cheating during an exam. What will you do then: tell the teacher, pretend that you don't see anything, make a talk with the student, or what?
13. Tell me about your dream when you grow older...
14. Who is your favorite teacher in the school? Why?
15. Animation character that describe you better: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck, Scrooge, Pluto, Sponge Bob, Patrick, etc. Why you choose them?

Hints
- Modify your own questions. Mix fun questions with "main issue" so you can create fun atmosphere
- You can play this game with a whole family too, and everybody can create his/her own question too
- Find any interesting fact? Use "before sleep" time to share and discuss with your kid. Hear more, rather than talk more.
- Modify this method for grown up. You can build trust among each other with this activity 

Do this activity again and again in comfortable condition. Maybe you will find that after this your kid will ask for this Clam Opener game for one more time, just like Charmanta... :)