I am Lovable & Capable, Younger; Bully 1a

I am Lovable and Capable; adapted from Sid Simon; Younger Child

(Scroll down to bottom of Lovable and Capable for an Older Version and for boy shape)

Explain what inside self means; how we feel inside our body when we are sad, hurt...

Explain what capable means; doing things as good you can.

A little boy (or girl), woke up feeling fine.  He got dressed and walked into the kitchen to have breakfast.  “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, you put your shirt on backwards!”  His sister says laughing.  He looks down and sure enough his shirt was on backwards.  He tried not to let it bother him, but he felt part of his inside self slip away.  He felt a little less strong and not nearly so loveable and capable.  (1. FOLD BACK A PART OF THE FIGURE).  So, he went into his bedroom and put his shirt on the right way.   He wanted to pretend that his sister’s teasing really didn’t bother him, but he felt embarrassed.

He went back into the kitchen and sat down to eat his breakfast.   As he reached for his glass of milk a little too fast, it tipped over and spilled all over the table and his shirt.  “Why do you have to be so clumsy?  Why don’t you stop and think about what you are doing?”  Says his mother.  (2. FOLD BACK ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FIGURE).  Poor guy, he felt a little more of his inside self slip away.

The boy changed his shirt and left the house to go to school.  At recess he was playing four-square and completely missed the ball.  One of the children playing with him said,  “You are not good at four-square, we don’t want you to play with us; go away!!”  Poor guy, he felt hurt.  He felt himself grow a little less strong, less loveable and capable.  (3. FOLD BACK ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FIGURE).

Every time someone says something that is not nice to the little boy, it hurts him inside.

“I don’t like you.”  (FOLD)

“You are ugily.”  (FOLD)

“Go Away.”  (FOLD)

The little boy feels more of his inside self slip away.   He feels less strong, less loveable and capable.  (UNFOLD PAPER BOY AND SHOW HOW HIS INSIDE SELF FEELS).

After reading the story, follow up with this:

Fold the paper boy back up.

Have students say nice compliments to the boy.

With every compliment, unfold a piece of the paper boy, until he is completely unfolded.