Monsters and Self Control

Sunday, October 5, 2008 |

*IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE GIVEAWAY GO HERE. *

The Zawisza clan has taken on a challenge.
Today was the kick off at church of Kidstuf Live. This is a program they do once a month during the school year where Parents and their elementary aged children come together after church for a huge skit/program/demonstration/crowd participation of what the children are learning this month in their classes.
This was our first experience with Kidstuf since we are new attenders to this church. I had no idea what to expect, but definitely not what I saw. Hip hop dancers, rappers, and the funniest cast doing short skits that were hilarious, yet very direct and to the point of what they are trying to teach this month. Which happens to be SELF CONTROL.
The kids went WILD and I have to say Craig and I were laughing quite a bit ourselves.

So at the end of the program, each family received one of these Kidstuf Take-Out boxes. Pretty cool huh? The box itself was neat, but the contents inside and the simple lessons to be learned behind them are the REALLY cool part.
WARNING: THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOX COULD CHANGE YOUR FAMILY! I love the warning on this box, because if used correctly, it COULD change our lives! So what's inside??
MONSTERS!!! Lots of them! The illustration to help us understand the monsters is the idea that not exercising self control in our day to day lives can turn us into monsters!
You see, the challenge our family was given today was to exercise self control in ALL areas of our lives this week. In order to keep track of how well or not so well we are using self control, we are to drop one monster in the jar (that they also gave us) every time we or a member of our family thinks that we were not using self control. We are then to write the reason of our NON self control on the jar, and on Friday we will discuss these reasons together as a family and see what lessons we have learned from this.


Carter was VERY intrigued by this experiment, and wanted to know exactly what self control meant, and ALL the rules before he embarked on the adventure this week. We had a LONG discussion at lunch today about self control and all of the different areas in life that we need to be exercising it. He then ever so smartly started pointing out where mommy and daddy would be getting monsters this week. Ha! He's no doubt right!!


THEN Carter decided what colors would represent each family member. Red= Craig, Pink= Me, Blue= Carter, and Orange= Ava. Ava then said SHE wanted to be pink, to which Carter replied " you can't be pink Ava because there's WAAAAAAY more pink ones than orange, and mommy is DEFINITELY going to need more monsters than you!!" Uh huh. Thanks son. You're probably right, but YOU'RE the one supposed to be learning the lesson here.....right??......RIGHT?????...........................Yeah, that's what I love about this experiment, it's teaching us ALL a H.U.G.E lesson about just how "uncontrolled" we really are.


Craig and I have even "upped the ante" a bit by offering a reward to the person with the least monsters at the end of the week. needless to say, this week could get very interesting.


You DO remember whose color is red don't you??? Leave it to hubs to get the jar started with the first monster!!!! (20 minutes after getting home.....)
Yeah, well Carter wasn't far behind........and oh yes, the TEASING 'offense' is CRAIG's reason for being in the jar......... At this rate I will be heading to the store by tomorrow afternoon looking for more monsters and probably another jar to hold them all. Fridays meeting might be an all nighter.......I have a feeling the Z house might have a lot of "self control" lessons to be talked about, and YES that definitely includes me!! Though I have yet to drop a monster in the jar, I am SURE by my next report on this matter, there will be PLENTY!!!


How many monsters would you drop today?


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10 comments:

  • Anonymous
     

    LOVE IT! I HAVE to pinch that idea. Where on earth do I find those monsters??!!!...

    And in response to your comment on my blog - yes, it's hot already! I think it's getting to 30 degrees - that's celsius, don't know what it is in your language... I'm loving it, but would rather be back creekside. Go see my post later, when I post it, to know what I'm talking about... You'll wanna book a ticket over here...

    See ya, and beware the monster lurking within!!!

  • June Cleaver in Sneakers
     

    This is genius!

    I'm the queen of visuals when it comes to driving a lesson home. Although, it's gonna be harsh when the visual is my own little red monster(s) laying at the bottom of that jar. Ouch.

    This is a definite keeper!

  • Jennifer
     

    What an awesome lesson! I love that the use of such a cool visual is in place to help drive the lesson home. You'll have to keep us updated on the monsters in the jar. LOL

    So how's the weather in your neck of the woods? We've pretty much decided on heading up to north GA for a little R&R and then into Clemson and SC for a family reunion in a couple of weeks. Craig wants us to bring our clubs! Yoo Hoo! :)

  • BethAnne
     

    I would implement this in our home, but I dont think the monster company could produce enough and I KNOW we couldnt find a big enough jar to hold them (and I am jsut talking about the monsters I would have to put in). This is a really cute idea.

  • Hillary Hull
     

    This is so funny Heidi! I posted a link to your giveaway on my blog today... http://hillhophull.blogspot.com.

  • Lindsay-ann
     

    The Kidstuf Live Program sounds very exciting. The Take-Out boxes and monster idea are fantastic. I can just imagine if Hip hop dancers and rappers turned up at our church and the reaction they would get!! Thanks for sharing this and I look forward to your next report on this matter.

  • Brandi McCallum
     

    I love this idea!... and it was so gr8 to get to see my little Ava on Sunday... I do miss her being in class. I think I will be going to the store to get monsters and a jar for Bree`na and I... I will have to let you know how it goes with uis... wish me luck :-)

    Oh and make sure u read me every once in while over the next few days I might entertain even u the entertainer :-)

    LOVE U LOTS!!

  • Anonymous
     

    What a great idea. I would probably have to drop quite a few monsters. That really makes you think, doesn't it?

  • David, Tammy, Megan and Hobbes
     

    Ha! Love the monster jar. Neat idea and a much better way to help your kids (and you) understand the lesson you are all trying to learn.

  • The Carswells
     

    Hey Heidi! Sunday we had what we call "Kidzplace" at our church. It's the same kind of thing. Sooooo much fun...Carson was on the worship team this month. We have 6 performances, so he had to be at church at 7:15 am...Dad took him and will have to take him next week too, way too early for me! Anyway, ours was on self-control too! Hope to see you sometime soon...it's been awhile!