Take Responsibility for your Actions
In Fluffy Finds his Well-Being (book 8 of Tools of the Heart‘s informative and skillful picture books that help children develop confidence and self-esteem), the focus is on self-awareness and learning to effectively manage emotions.
Fluffy the squirrel is busy gathering food to prepare for the winter. He becomes tired and overwhelmed from his efforts. The stacks of acorns he has carefully made keep falling over which means he has to stack them all over again. This frustrates the furry critter a great deal. His best friend Colin the oak tree notices his friend’s agitation and encourages the squirrel to to take a rest. However, Fluffy is stubborn and throws a bit of a fit. He shouts, “I will never make it!” His heart races and feels like he is going to cry.
The little squirrel realizes he needs to calm down. He begins to take deep breaths and feels his heartbeat begin to slow. White the Elf appears to Fluffy and says, “Did you notice that by breathing in slowly and putting your paws on your heart, you discovered something important… By taking care of yourself and by giving yourself a hug, you have calmed the beatings of your heart, and you gradually felt well again.”
Fluffy realizes that he can take care of himself when feeling anxious and angry. He has learned an essential skill to self-sooth as well as be aware of his emotions and how to handle his actions. He shares this wisdom with all of his friends in the garden. He reminds them of their inner garden which they each practice together and on their own. Each are at peace and the garden will continue to flourish.
“Educating is like sowing seeds… And a good way to sow the seed of autonomy is to bring children aware of the power they can have over their own emotions. The truth is; we cannot always control what happens to us or around us… but we do have power over what goes on within us! ” -Patrick Arguin, Tools of the Heart author
Three things to remember when you become angry:
- Put your hands on your heart and breathe deeply. Calm will begin to take over.
- If someone is not around to give you a hug or hold you when you are upset, you can give yourself a little hug and think loving thoughts.
- Refer back to the tools in the book series to help you cope with difficult situations.
About the Author:
Patrick Arguin is an educator and proud co-creator of Tools of the Heart, where he combines three passions; illustrating, communicating and helping little ones blossom into their own! Originally developed in French with the help of two heart-minded collaborators, later to be translated in English, Tools of the Heart aims to help young children learn self-care and develop or maintain a stronger sense of self through its books and guided meditations.
Patrick resides in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, where he continues to develop Tools of the Heart and its different projects, which include teaching meditation to children and teenagers. He also works as a Reiki Master and counselor.
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