Rocks in your Socks

For this activity, you will need lollipops (or a treat the family loves) and small pebbles to put inside everyone’s shoes. After everyone has the pebbles in their shoes and a lollipop have them walk around the house. Ask them to describe what they just felt. In most cases, everyone will focus on how the pebbles felt rather than how they enjoyed the lollipops.

Explain that whenever they are having a rough time with something, to pause and reconsider what good things they could be missing. You can use the following story to illustrate or choose one from your family history.

A family had several visiting relatives and had planned a day of fun outside but the weather that day was cold and rainy and they couldn’t go outside. In an attempt to save the day, they set up some of the outdoor games in the basement. When they were done with those, Mom set up several different board games in the living room. She set a timer to ring every few minutes and the youngest at each game had to switch around the room and trade places. They all had fun being together and making up new things. Now, whenever the families get together they talk about how fun that day turned out and how many great memories they made. If they had had a regular day outside, it may not have stood out in their minds.

To process this activity, ask these or similar questions:

• When you put the pebbles in your shoes, did you know it was going to hurt?
• Did the hurt in your shoes negate the lollipop or did the lollipop soothe the hurt?
• The next time you struggle with something will you think that there might be a good you are missing by focusing on the pain?