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355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:51 AM Page 1

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Initiative Builder:
Motivation When we think about initiative, we Newspaper Activity
often think about our ancestors, Use the newspaper to find articles
who traveled across oceans and of people using initiative. What are
Effort boarded wagons and trains to make they doing? Setting off on a trip to
lives for themselves in new lands. outer space? Designing a new house?
Starting a business? There are many
Tell about parents and grandparents
Responsibility who made those voyages, who took
ways in which people take action.
Talk together about initiative that
that kind of initiative. Talk about
gets attention in the newspaper and
today’s new immigrants who
Initiative continue to come to America to
on television and initiative that
goes on daily at home. It’s not in
make a better life for themselves
the news, but it is important.
and their children.
Perseverance Moving to Bigger
No matter what generation of
Americans we are, the immigrant
Questions
■ Can taking initiative too fast get
Caring spirit is part of our nature. We are
you into trouble? If so, what kind?
people of strong ideas and strong
action. This desire to make things ■ Can waiting too long to take
Teamwork happen burns within us and, when action get you into trouble? If so,
channeled and focused, it’s a what kind?
powerful force in education.
■ Do you get lots of ideas, or do
Common Sense you wait for the one perfect idea
Sparking the to come along?
Conversation
Problem Solving Start with some There’s a wise saying: “The
examples of initiative. perfect is the enemy of good.”
Small, everyday ideas So try to recognize the good
Focus will do. For example, let’s when you’ve got it.
say it’s a weekend day, and
you ask, “What will we do? © Dorothy Rich, 2000
Who’s got an idea?” Your child The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
pipes in, “Let’s have a picnic.”
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
What happens to this or to information about bringing MegaSkills books
and programs to your school and community
other ideas that come up at
group, contact: The Home and School
home? Children know they get Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
serious consideration when the 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
family decides together, yes, we 20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
can do it because … or no, we Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
can’t because …. As many times
as it’s reasonable, follow through
on a child’s idea. When the idea
moves into action, the child needs a
role to play. If it’s the picnic,
there’s food to be bought, made and
packed. Kids need this practice in
order to show their initiative.

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:51 AM Page 2

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Problem-Solving Builder:
Motivation “You dummy!” That’s what kids said Newspaper Activity
to me when I told them about my Clip paragraphs from the newspaper.
foot getting caught in the spokes of Cut and separate the paragraphs and
Effort my brother’s bike. I was barefoot, mix up the pieces. In many ways,
the bike hit a bump, my foot went writing is like making the pieces of
into the wheel; it came out with a a puzzle fit together. The puzzle
Responsibility spoke in it. pieces are thoughts. They need to
connect. The challenge is for
Nobody has to remind me again.
children to work these sentences
I wear shoes when I ride a bike.
Initiative That’s one way to learn. Children
back into a logical order.
like to hear stories like this. And it Moving to
opens doors to conversations about Bigger Questions
Perseverance far more deadly consequences for Try some of these with your young
children who today don’t listen to problem solvers.
the warnings about how to be safe
Caring … safe from drugs, safe from AIDS,
■ To get more kids to say no to
drugs, what will it take?
safe from crime. While no one can
How do we keep our friends
promise complete safety, there are
Teamwork precautions that help.
from being “dummies”?

Ideas build on one another.


Sparking the Conversation
They have a terrific ability to
Common Sense Today children have to listen and
keep flowing as long as we
learn before they experiment. There
keep drawing from the well.
is a lot of information around. Talk
Problem Solving to your kids about all those other
kids, the ones who need the lecture. © Dorothy Rich, 2000
Ask, how can we reach them? The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
Focus Brainstorm ideas. What are the sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
pluses and minuses of each one? information about bringing MegaSkills books
Even young children can get into and programs to your school and community
the habit. For example, ask, group, contact: The Home and School
“How can we get Uncle Jim to Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
stop smoking? Any ideas?”
20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
Some ideas will be Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
better than others.
Those are the ones
you save, and you
keep one handy to
try out the next time
you see Uncle Jim.

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:51 AM Page 3

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Common Sense Builder:
Motivation “I just have to have those shoes. I
Newspaper Activity
can’t live without them.” That’s your Shopping for almost anything is an
sweet child talking. While asking for experience in reading and common
Effort these shoes demonstrates your sense. Read the ads, talk about them,
child’s motivation, it doesn’t say compare costs and value. Hobbies
much for common sense. such as gardening, painting, sports,
Responsibility How do you talk common sense to
etc., all lend themselves to research
and to use common sense daily. Pick
your child? One way that doesn’t
something to shop for in the ads,
seem to work well these days is to
Initiative recall how it was when you were a
start clipping and comparing the
different prices and different
kid. That’s when your parents went
features. Price alone may not be the
to the store and bought the most
Perseverance sensibly priced brand, and it all
best determiner. You really have to
use your common sense.
worked out fine.
Moving to Bigger Questions
Caring The pressure on your kids to have
To a great extent, being like
what their friends have is over-
everybody else is a form of security,
whelming. How can they help
and everybody likes to feel secure.
Teamwork preserve the family budget and get
Questions like these can help your
some common sense at the same
children get a better sense of the
time? Children have this chance
pressures they face:
Common Sense when they get the opportunity to
talk to you, not about the old days, ■ Who sets the fashions? Who tells
but about today and the pressures us what to buy?
Problem Solving you experience.
■ When we hear product claims, are
Sparking the Conversation they always true?
What are you as an adult under
Focus pressure to do? What do you say to
■ Can we each remember a time
when we used our common sense?
yourself? What advice do your kids
have for you? Can they see ■ Can we remember a time when we
some of the same didn’t do what everybody else did,
pressures they face in and it turned out all right? Some-
the pressures you times it can turn out even better.
face as an
adult?
© Dorothy Rich, 2000
Encourage The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
them to
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
name some of information about bringing MegaSkills books
the pressures they and programs to your school and community
have just as you group, contact: The Home and School
have named some Institute, MegaSkills
Education Center;
of yours. You
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW,
may find that Washington, DC 20005.
your children Phone: (202) 466-3633.
have some good Fax: (202) 833-1400.
advice for you www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
and for themselves.
Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:51 AM Page 4

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Effort Builder:
Motivation Effort is funny. You’ve probably got Newspaper Activity
lots of examples of times when Check the want ads. Pick a few to
you’ve made major efforts, and talk about. The job world is
Effort nothing worked out. And then, there changing. Driving a truck used to be
are those times when you made a man’s job. Being a nurse was
little effort. Bang! Big results. always woman’s work. This activity
Responsibility Children have the same experiences.
helps youngsters start thinking and
talking about what they might like
They write a paper, for example, that
to do when they are older. Suggest
takes days and days, and the teacher
Initiative says, “You should have tried harder.”
that youngsters cut out articles and
pictures of people doing different
Then they knock off another paper
jobs that might be interesting as a
in ten minutes, and they get an A.
Perseverance career. Discuss together the pluses
Where’s the justice? Answer: There and the minuses of each.
isn’t much, but there is a law of
Moving to Bigger Questions
Caring averages. That means that when we
Try these for a lively discussion:
try hard, some of the ships will
come in, and some won’t, but ■ Is there a fear among students
Teamwork chances are, there will always be about making an effort, a fear
some ships in port. We have to help that if you try and lose, it’s worse
our children know the value of effort. than not trying?
Common Sense Failure is no crime. Not trying is.
■ What about expectations? How
Sparking the Conversation realistic are we about winning and
Ask children for their own memories losing?
Problem Solving of making an effort and not making
Just as we learn in different
an effort. Do they know kids who
ways, different kinds of effort
respond to low test grades by
Focus saying, “I didn’t study anyway”?
are very useful for our
well-being.
What do your children think
that this reaction shows?
© Dorothy Rich, 2000
Try to remember a time when you The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
made an all-out effort, maybe to
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
win someone’s affections or to get information about bringing MegaSkills books
on a team, and it didn’t work out. and programs to your school and community
Your children will notice that you group, contact: The Home and School
are still standing, so making Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
an effort can’t be too
20005. Phone: (202) 466.3633.
disastrous. Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:52 AM Page 5

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences about the news? Is it relevant to
Motivation We’re worried about our children’s their lives? In this way, children
motivation today, maybe more than become more interested in what’s
ever. We see so many kids who say happening around them.
Effort they are bored. Boredom used to be Sparking the Conversation
considered a problem for Learning is at the heart of
adolescents, but now it’s striking motivation. We’re always learning
Responsibility younger and younger. but we’re usually moving too fast to
Our children are used to a new recognize it:
sensation every few seconds on
Initiative television; they are used to flitting
■ Think about what you have
learned in the past year, in the
from one thing to the next at rapid past week, in the last day.
speed. No wonder they get bored.
Perseverance For example, what did you learn
Motivation thrives on learning about a certain person, about
enough about something, over time, something new on the job? Share
Caring to get really interested in it. That’s this with your child.
why hobbies are so good for
children and for adults, too. If you Moving to
Teamwork had a hobby as a child, perhaps Bigger Questions
making model airplanes, or even ■ Children may not know the word
collecting stamps, tell your kids motivation, but they recognize it
Common Sense about it. When children have a when they see it.
specific interest, they seek more ■ Check with them: What are they
information about it; they get encouraged by? What discourages
Problem Solving involved. When they get involved, them? Are they more motivated
they get motivated. It’s a with certain people, certain
remarkable cycle. subjects
Focus Motivation Builder:
There’s been no better way
Newspaper Activity
invented to encourage
Find articles that tell of events in
children’s motivation than
foreign countries— “Lance
seeing their parents as
Armstrong Wins the Tour de
interested learners.
France”; “Pokemon
So what’s the next thing you
Sweeps Japan!”; “Foreign
want to learn about?
Ruler Overthrown.” Can
any of these events
© Dorothy Rich, 2000
happen here? The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
Find in the paper a
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
situation that affects information about bringing MegaSkills books
your area. “Shopping and programs to your school and community
Center Adds to group, contact: The Home and
Traffic Problem”; School Institute, MegaSkills
Education Center;
“Neighborhood
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW,
School to Close.” Washington, DC 20005.
Talk about these Phone: (202) 466-3633.
with children. Fax: (202) 833-1400.
What’s interesting www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:52 AM Page 6

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences time for her work. It gave us all a
Motivation There is not a living, breathing chance to give each other a pep talk.
person who is confident all the Confidence Builder:
time. Yet our children can get the Newspaper Activity
Effort idea that everyone else is more Children who balk at math in class are
confident than they are, and that often youngsters who figure out
everyone else, especially a parent, batting averages in their spare time.
Responsibility has never been scared or felt the Some even understand the
pangs of loss of confidence. financial pages.
That’s why it is important to share
Initiative your experiences, to come clean, to
Capitalize on these interests. Try
questions such as these: Which team
tell your child about a time in your has won the most games this
own childhood when you felt
Perseverance confident—really able to do
season? Who are the high scorers?
How much higher are they than the
something. Maybe it was jumping others? Use the newspaper to get
off the high diving board or
Caring excelling on the math test.
the answers.

Moving to
And what about the time when you Bigger Questions
Teamwork felt not so confident, when you had Try these bigger questions in
trouble standing up in front of the conversations with your children:
class to give a speech, or when you
Common Sense realized you were short on cash at ■ What makes people scared?
the checkout counter. Share as many ■ Does what we say to each other
memories as you can remember. make a difference in our self-
Problem Solving Sparking the Conversation confidence?
Focus on a specific problem. For ■ What kind of praise do we like to
example, “When I first went to
Focus school, I had trouble speaking up in
receive?

class. I felt shy. I guess I was ■ How can we help each other feel
worried that I wouldn’t have the more confident?
right answer.”

This helps children start talking © Dorothy Rich, 2000


about their own experiences The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
with confidence—when
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
they have it and when information about bringing MegaSkills books
they don’t. We learned that and programs to your school and community
my older daughter, a whiz group, contact: The Home and School
in her classes, was Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
having trouble
20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
making friends at Fax: (202) 833-1400.
school. And our www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
younger daughter
was spending so
much time with
friends, that
she was
finding
Foundation
too little
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:52 AM Page 7

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Teamwork Builder:
Motivation It seems that everybody’s talking Newspaper Activity
about teamwork. We see articles Save a few newspaper TV guides so
about it in the sports pages and the that they can be cut apart … and
Effort business pages. It’s the key to put back together. The challenge is
success. Some folks call it the most to read and construct your own guide
desired MegaSkill today. of favorite TV shows for at least two
Responsibility Many of our children know what it
days. Do this together as a family.
Talk about and compare the choices.
means to be part of a sports team.
What shows would you run if you
But they often don’t know what it
Initiative means to be a team player at work
managed a TV station … and why?
and in the family. Moving to
Bigger Questions
Perseverance That’s why it is so important to
share your experiences about ■ When do we like working
teamwork on the job and at home, with others?
Caring too. Not all your memories will be
■ When do we need to work alone?
wonderful. You may recall, for
example, the times on the job when ■ What jobs do we do at home as
Teamwork your boss or your fellow workers members of a team. What jobs
didn’t pull their load of the job, should we turn into teamwork jobs?
instead pushing work off on you.
If any one member of the family is
Common Sense And you may recall the times when still doing all or almost all of any
it was as if you’d won the World one job, (for example, Mom cooking),
Series, as a team. Share as many then teamwork is the right MegaSkill
Problem Solving experiences as you can for as long at the right time for your home.
as the children will listen.

Focus Sparking the Conversation © Dorothy Rich, 2000


You may find it helpful to focus on The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
a specific situation. For example, if
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
you’ve gone through a move information about bringing MegaSkills books
recently, your family knows the need and programs to your school and community
for teamwork. group, contact: The Home and School
Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
When a household moves (no matter 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
how small it is), it’s a lot better when 20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
everyone pitches in. Talk about what Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
everyone had to do. If you’re
thinking about a move, and
dreading it (who doesn’t?), now
is a good time to think aloud
about what everyone will have to
do to make it work well. It might
just nudge your children
enough to start throwing
away some of the junk that’s
piling up in their rooms.

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:52 AM Page 8

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Our Experiences Perseverance Builder:
Motivation Who among us hasn’t had daydreams Newspaper Activity
that go something like this: You’re Good writing needs ideas that are
playing the piano on a concert united, combined and tied together
Effort stage. All eyes are upon you, to make a logical whole. Find words
admiring you. Guess what you forgot in big-size letters in the newspaper.
to do? The answer: practice. Cut them out. The goal is to
Responsibility You’re standing at a podium, before
combine these words into logical
sentences. Let’s say you choose the
a crowd of thousands, about to
words “toys,” “trip,” “sunny,”
make the most important speech of
Initiative the decade. Guess what you forgot
“teachers.” You might come up with
this: “On sunny days, teachers often
do? The answer: write it.
let their classes take toys with them
Perseverance Sparking the Conversation on school trips.” Even when the
Focus on a dream that you like to ideas defeat logic, putting them
see happen. Tell your children about together provides good mental
Caring it. For example, a parent might sit exercise, gives everyone lots of
down to a banquet every night (all laughs and teaches perseverance.
right, once a week) without having
Moving to Bigger
Teamwork to pay for it, shop for it or cook it.
Questions
A child might come home with an
■ Is the journey to a goal really the
all-A’s report card without having
best part, or is the best part
Common Sense read the books, written the papers
finally getting there?
or studied for the tests. How we
wish these dreams could come true, ■ Is stubbornness always a bad
Problem Solving just like that. But reality is different. thing? Can it be good sometimes?
Talk together about how to realize ■ How do we force ourselves to do
your dreams. Who can help with things that we don’t want to do?
Focus that banquet? What books and
papers need to be read and done
© Dorothy Rich, 2000
to get those good grades? The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
To have that banquet, sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
to get those grades, founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
takes time, effort and information about bringing MegaSkills books
and programs to your school and community
perseverance—sticking
group, contact: The Home and School
at something until it Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
is accomplished. 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:53 AM Page 9

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Experiences Caring Builder:
Motivation It’s easy to see the headlines in the Newspaper Activity
newspaper and hear them on tele- Using the newspaper, ask students
vision and get the idea that people to identify people in newspaper
Effort just don’t care for each other anymore. articles who show caring and those
who do not. Examples are features
Yet, all of us who are out here in the
on folks who manage to save a child
world know that there are both very
Responsibility harsh and very soft, caring events
from a burning house and others
who get into traffic accidents by not
happening every day. The soft ones
paying attention to their driving.
just don’t make the headlines.
Initiative Collect newspapers over a few days
That’s why I never tire of telling to have a number of caring
about the leaders in the MegaSkills examples to share.
Perseverance workshop program, many of whom
Moving to Bigger
are volunteering to help fellow
teachers and parents. If I read the
Questions
■ Does caring for others and giving
Caring news as a barometer of how people
to others do anything special for
really fell about each other, I would
the carer? For the giver?
have never predicted this outpouring
Teamwork of help and, yes, love. Because ■ What does it mean to act
these stories of caring don’t make selfishly? Who is an unselfish
the news, it’s all the more important person that you know?
Common Sense for us to make sure children know
that caring exists and to have There is a saying that the
examples of caring, not grizzly more we give, the more we
Problem Solving headlines, as models for their actions. get back. How have you
experienced the pleasures of
Sparking the Conversation giving? How have your children?
Focus In your own experience, you see Talk about the special returns
caring … the boss who boosts your that come from giving.
confidence; the neighbor who
watches out for your child; the © Dorothy Rich, 2000
teacher who sends home a The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
note telling you what your
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
child has done right. information about bringing MegaSkills books
and programs to your school and community
group, contact: The Home and School
Institute, MegaSkills Education Center;
1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC
20005. Phone: (202) 466-3633.
Fax: (202) 833-1400. www.MegaSkillsHSI.org

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:53 AM Page 10

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Getting What Your Children Need to Succeed


Sharing Our Experiences Focus Builder:
Motivation When our lives become complicated, Newspaper Activity
and life is coming at us too fast, Use those glamorous, colorful
self-discipline and focus are more advertisements to illustrate the idea
Effort necessary and important than ever. of main point, or “thesis.” Ask the
following: What’s the main idea in
Some of the obstacles standing in
this ad? What is it trying to
the way of focus are so obvious that
Responsibility they get overlooked. For example,
persuade us to do? A strong,
handsome man drinking a certain
it’s hard to get organized in the
soft drink in a fancy car with a
midst of stress and disorganization.
Initiative Focus demands that children and
beautiful girl at his side is telling us
something about that soft drink.
adults get enough sleep and food. It
demands a level of structure in our Moving to Bigger Questions
Perseverance homes and classrooms, so that we,
■ What do I want to accomplish?
can focus our minds. Our children
– Finding a goal
need to be able to control their
Caring impulses and to see the adults around
– Selecting an objective
– Moving into action
them controlling theirs. Our children
■ What do I have to do?
need to become what psychologists
Teamwork call self-regulating. This gives them
■ What do I have going for me?
■ What do I do to get there?
the ability to be calm enough to be
attentive and focused. The strength of focus as a MegaSkill
Common Sense is that it connects so well to
Sparking the Conversation meeting goals. Goal setting has the
Talk about your goals and how you
remarkable ability to keep our minds
Problem Solving work to meet them. Talk about
and our thinking centered.
those you have accomplished and
those you continue to work on.
Focus Ask children for their goals— © Dorothy Rich, 2000
big and small. The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
information about bringing MegaSkills books
and programs to your school and community
group, contact: The Home and School
Institute, MegaSkills Education
Center; 1500 Massachusetts Ave.,
NW, Washington, DC 20005.
Phone: (202) 466-3633.
Fax: (202) 833-1400.
www.MegaSkillsHSI.org

Foundation
355-362-0700 Mega Skills Ad 1/25/01 10:53 AM Page 11

MegaSkills ® Building Children’s


Achievement for the
Information Age

Dr. Dorothy Rich

Confidence Building Children’s Achievement


For the Information Age
Motivation Sharing Our Experiences newspapers and write notes,
In the past, we never really had to suggesting their ideas. Use large
think about our responsibility for sheets of paper, leaving plenty of
Effort the environment. We knew that blank space for each day. Talk about
litterbugs got fined, but that was what everyone wants to do. Make
about all. plans not just for outings, but for
Responsibility Times have changed. One of the big
home projects, too. As children get
ideas, they pencil them in. Keep
differences is that we know a lot
these realistic, at no or low cost!
more than we used to. We know
Initiative about dangers, acid rain, detergents
This gives children practice in
responsibility and in doing
that don’t biodegrade and plastic
independent research. Share these
cups that will live forever.
Perseverance ideas to see which ones are workable.
We need this information and need
Moving to Bigger Questions
to share it with our children. This is
Because your children may have a
Caring not to frighten them, but to build
head start in their knowledge about
their awareness of what each of us
the environment, let them teach you
can do to help. Check with your
and lead you in answering questions
Teamwork library and with environmental
like these:
organizations directly to find out
what you can do. ■ Can people get sick from
Common Sense Sparking the Conversation
pollution? What kinds of illnesses
do they get?
Ask your children for their ideas on
how they can help right around your ■ When businesses move to
Problem Solving home: for example, recycling recyclable packaging, how can we
newspapers, moving lamps (away let them know we approve?
from air conditioners), keeping the
Focus refrigerator door closed more than
■ How can we make more people
aware of their responsibility in
open, using the back of sheets of
taking care of the environment?
paper to get more mileage from
every sheet. The strength of focus as a MegaSkill
is that it connects so well to meeting
Children make excellent nags to keep
goals. Goal setting has the remarkable
parents responsible. For example,
ability to keep our minds and our
they can remind you not to keep the
thinking centered.
car motor idling, and to start the
barbecue with paper and sticks © Dorothy Rich, 2000
rather than lighter fluid. The nonprofit Home and School Institute,
sponsor of the MegaSkills program, was
Because of increased awareness founded by Dr. Dorothy Rich in 1964. For
in the classroom about the information about bringing MegaSkills books
and programs to your school and community
environment, your children may
group, contact: The Home
know more than you do. and School Institute,
MegaSkills Education Center;
Responsibility Builder:
1500 Massachusetts Ave.,
Newspaper Activity NW, Washington, DC 20005.
Ask children for ideas about Phone: (202) 466-3633.
activities they’d like to do during Fax: (202) 833-1400.
their holidays from school. Children www.MegaSkillsHSI.org
Foundation
can cut out articles from the

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