Teaching Self-Regulation with Crankenstein
Self-regulation is crucial for mastering all life skills. It enables us to control our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, as well as navigate challenges and interactions more effectively. By learning self-regulation as a child, kids can learn to manage stress, make thoughtful decisions, and maintain positive relationships, which are essential for success in school and life. Developing this skill early on sets a foundation for resilience, empathy, and adaptability.
The book "Crankenstein" by Samantha Berger is one of my favorite stories to help teach this vital skill. This humorous tale helps us explore how to handle big feelings and maintain control over our actions, even when things don't go our way.
What is Self-Regulation?
Self-regulation is the ability to control your body, words, and actions when you have big feelings. It's an essential skill that helps us navigate challenging emotions and situations without losing our cool. But how do we teach this to young children in a way that's both fun and relatable? Enter "Crankenstein."
Meet Crankenstein
In the story, we meet an ordinary little boy who transforms into a grumpy, growling Crankenstein when faced with everyday annoyances like a rainy day, a melting popsicle, or an early bedtime. His crankiness is something we can all relate to, making it a perfect starting point for our lesson.
Understanding Crankenstein's Reactions
After reading the book, we discussed how Crankenstein reacts when he's upset. He yells, whines, growls, and complains. We then asked the children whether they thought Crankenstein handled his emotions well and why or why not. This sparked a great conversation about the importance of managing our feelings.
The Power of Laughter
Interestingly, what ultimately makes Crankenstein feel better is seeing someone else who is just as cranky as he is. This moment of shared grumpiness turns into a moment of laughter, highlighting the idea that sometimes, seeing the silliness in our own behavior can help us feel better. We introduced the saying "laughter is the best medicine," explaining how humor can be a powerful tool for self-regulation.
Identifying Button Pushers and Warning Signs
We talked about the concept of "button pushers"—those things that make us upset, sad, angry, or confused. These can include name-calling, feeling left out, being ignored, hunger, losing a game, or not getting something we want. Recognizing these triggers helps us understand what leads to our cranky moments.
Next, we discussed warning signs. When something pushes our buttons, we often feel the anger, sadness, or frustration in our bodies. Some people feel it in their hands, chest, belly, head, or face. By paying attention to these signs, we can learn to stop ourselves before we lose control.
Crankenstein's Button Pushers
Crankenstein had many button pushers: waking up, the weather, standing in line, bedtime, not enough syrup for his pancakes, medicine, and going to school. It seemed like he was having a really bad day! We asked the children to reflect on their own button pushers and share where they feel their emotions in their bodies.
Taking Responsibility for Our Actions
One crucial point we emphasized is that while it's okay to feel cranky, it's not okay to treat people badly or throw a fit. Everyone gets cranky sometimes, but we are responsible for our own words, choices, and actions. By thinking about what pushes our buttons and listening to our warning signs, we can stay calm and make good choices.
Activity
To wrap up the lesson, I encourage students to think about their own button pushers. Understanding these triggers and recognizing the warning signs in our bodies are the first steps toward self-regulation.
By learning from Crankenstein's experiences, we hope the children walked away with valuable tools to help them navigate their own big feelings and maintain control, even on the crankiest of days.
"Crankenstein" not only brought giggles to my classroom but also provided a meaningful framework for discussing self-regulation in a way that resonates with children.
