Smiley & Grumpy;You Own Your Happiness
Kids; we’re back! Smiley
and Grumpy want to take you on a tour through your life…if you read our
“Puyallup Fair Story,” you’ll remember who we are. You will also remember
our children, Cody (age 8) &
Sidney (age 6). We felt it was
appropriate for us to talk about this important subject, as you already know
that one of us is Smiley and one of us is Grumpy. Well, Grumpy won’t be grumpy
for long that is. He just needed to
learn how to SMILE! Let’s help
him do that, shall we? We need your help and full attention to help Grumpy.
Do you think you can do it? Of
course you can! He’s counting on
you. The first thing we need to
teach Grumpy is to look inward to find happiness and not outward.
We need to tell him he doesn’t need to compare himself with others.
Let’s tell him that when he feels happy, he is happy no matter what
other people think of him. Let’s
teach him to forgive himself and others too.
Here is something one of our students wanted him to know… “Grumpy,
look forward and not backwards in life.”
“What has happened in the past has happened and it is done.”
“Try not to live in the past.” “Grumpy,
it’s like this; live your life through your windshield, not your rear view
mirror.” “You can’t change
what is behind you.” “Keep
looking forward but do learn from your past.”
That is good advice for Grumpy, don’t you agree?
So look forward and move forward as your future lays a head of you.
Cody remembers, that if you read, learn and educate yourself on keeping
your body healthy with regular exercise (even walking one half an hour each day)
and eating healthy vitamin rich foods, you will grow up strong and be healthy
and well. A strong healthy body is
less likely to become sick and can fight off any illnesses better.
No one likes being sick, do they? Sidney
knows that even though her vegetables, legumes & fruits are not as tasteful
as she would like them to be, it doesn’t mean that they are not important and
good for her. She knows their
importance in her body and eats broccoli too because she knows it contains anti
cancer properties. She washes her vegetables and fruits really well before she
eats them. Smiley & Grumpy want
you kids to practice these homework steps at home. Cody and Sidney will be doing
it too. They need your help. We’ll compare notes when you are finished. Keep
it fun & remember to read it often, okay?
It will help you in every area of your life!
Share it with your parents, as they might like to do this homework as
well…
Assignment #1:
Wake up each morning and start your day before
breakfast with a smile on your face! Put
a smiley face or something that makes you smile no matter what it is, a picture
maybe or anything you want on your bathroom mirror.
Wherever you go when you first wake up in the morning.
You can change the picture often if you want.
Force yourself to smile if you need to.
That is how you can train yourself to see a happy face.
After awhile your face will get used to smiling all the time.
Assignment
#2: Think
of all the things you are thankful for. For
instance, your mom, dad, brother or sister, your health, food in your stomach,
your friends, a roof over your head, a warm bed at night and so on…All the
little things we sometimes take for granted in life.
You may want to say them out loud or think them to yourself as Smiley
often does. You might want to smile
when you get on your bus for school and be thankful for your bus your teachers,
your classmates, the trees and so on… Cody had some kids pick on him at his
bus stop recently, but here is one way he handled it.
He knows in his heart that he is happy and there is nothing anyone can
say or do to take that away from him. He
wants you kids to know this; your happiness belongs to you!
You can decide to be happy all the time if that is what you choose to
believe. Sidney decided that maybe
she doesn’t have as much as the next person in her class as far as the best
clothes, new backpacks etc. but she has one thing they don’t have.
Pure happiness! Remember it
is yours and yours alone! Once you
are happy you can share that happiness with others. Right?
You betcha! But remember it
is their choice to be happy. If
they choose not to be happy, which I can’t imagine why, you need to respect
their decision and continue to be happy yourself.
Cody wanted to remind you that there are kids in the world that don’t
even have a warm bed to sleep in or daily food, but are still very happy because
they love themselves and are thankful for what they do have.
They have chosen to be thankful for the little things they do have.
Assignment
#3: What
can you do to keep yourself in a happy state of mind?
I usually read funny and educational books look at pictures that make me
smile, and keep most negative thoughts away from me.
Less distracting I guess you could say.
I cannot express enough that you own your happiness!
Once people see you smiling, happy or laughing it’s kind of hard not to
do it too.
Assignment
#4: Leave
the past in the past and move forward with today and your future.
Reflect on this present day and plan towards your future.
Try it! When you catch
yourself reflecting on your rear view mirror.
Stop and say to yourself, “Oops!” I choose not to do that again!”
“The windshield is in front of me!”
Assignment
#5: This
is fun so far don’t you think? We
are learning so much! Smiley wants
you to think about this assignment. If
classmates or anyone puts you down, think of a way that you will still be happy.
What will you do or say or not do or say to still keep that smile on your
face and be happy. Remember
you own your happiness it is yours! Here’s
a clue to help you with this one… Bad luck or unfortunate things that have
happened in your life aren’t as big as they seem now, as they are temporary
setbacks. Your mind is wonderful
because it will help you remember mostly positive things and hardships will
mostly be forgotten.
Assignment
#6: Let’s
look carefully at our diets. What
foods do you need to eat to keep you healthy and will help you grow?
Do you exercise or walk daily? Are
you reading and learning about the foods you eat?
What do you need to do to stay healthy, strong and well?
Assignment
#7: Hug
your family and friends, laugh with them, smile at them, see the good side of
things, and make your choice to be happy every day.
Yes, times can be tough and parents can argue, brothers and sisters can
fight and classmates but guess what you’ve made up your mind to be?
Happy, of course!
Assignment
#8: What
are your dreams and goals? Write
them down and look at them often to remind yourself.
You already have some goals above to focus on, remember?
Smile every day and be thankful for what you have and everything else
Smiley and Grumpy and their family shared with you in this story. Grumpy has
learned a lot today. Thank you for
helping him. He is going to check his mirror every morning and see the
reflection of his smiling face.
We are so thankful for all of you appreciate you, love you and want you all to
succeed & be happy in your lives. By
the way I’m smiling right now too! See
it’s contagious!
Copyright
2001 By Author Patti Tricoli
