- Goals
Power is both fascinating and frightening to children. In the work of adults, children may resent their own position of weakness and vulnerability. In their relationships with their friends, children seek to establish a position of influence and strength typically overlooked or belittled by adults. We can help children learn that they really do have something to offer to others and that their emerging sense of power can be harnessed to serve positive ends. Elders are in a good position to nurture this outlook in children.
- Prepare your Special Letter:
Discuss ways to solve conflicts. What are some good and bad ways to solve conflicts? How do you solve your conflicts or problems? Talk about peace and your wartime memories. Tell about a time when you were involved in a fight or some other conflict when you were young. What happened? How did you solve the conflict? Anything you think is important!
- For your grandchild's scrapbook:
Draw a picture of a time when you were in a fight and hurt by someone during your childhood. At the bottom of your picture describe what happened to you and how you solved the conflict (if at all).
- In your journal (After completing letter 9)
Talk about your ideas and feelings regarding conflict, peace and cooperation. What experiences did you have in growing up that influenced your opinions on these issues? (After receiving your grandchild's special letter): How did your grandchild react to this topic?
- Optional Activities (Choose as many as you want to do):
- Special Code. Make up your own secret code. You, the grandparent will make up simple symbols for the first thirteen letters of the alphabet. Keep a copy of the code for yourself and send a copy to your grandchild. Ask him or her to make up the remaining thirteen letters and send you a copy of them. Now you can send secret messages.
- Peace Banner. You will need fabric or felt, colored paper or plain paper and crayons or watercolors. Create a peace design with the materials you have collected. This design can be anything you think could convey a message about the importance of peace to your grandchild.
- Mail what you have created directly to your grandchild. Ask your grandchild to respond with letter 9 on his or her instruction sheet.
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http://www.ksu.edu/wwparent/courses/gl/gp-9.htm-- Revised: December 26, 1999