7 Habits

I spent part of my day with my printer and laminator. They are two of my favorite things for organizing. There are tons of free sites available to printing labels. This is one of my dilemmas: I find one set of labels that I like better than the last set of labels. I can't help but print and laminate a new set. I found this set of labels that a teacher made for school supplies. It's $3.00 on Teachers Pay Teachers. I try to use the free labels as much as possible but these were exceptionally cute with the picture and the word. I want the reinforce reading skills with my children and I think this will help that cause. I relabeled the kids crayon and marker jars. Next up will be the scissors, glue, and more. I laminated these labels so that they wouldn't peel off with time.

I'm still working on the playroom storage system. One of the things I am working on is a bench with red bins in it. The bins need to be labeled in order to entice the kids to pull their toys out and to know what they are pulling out. It should help keep the bins organized too. Lane helped me put the labels in the bins that I was able to find and print. Just for Me Materials has a free label maker that uses pictures from their web site.

This is one of the car bins I labeled today. The boys new schools works on character building through the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. The 7 Habits are: (from here) 1. Be Proactive. I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking. 2. Begin With the End in Mind I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school’s mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen. 3. Put First Things First I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized. 4. Think Win-Win I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others’ Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives. 5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking. 6. Synergize I value other people’s strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different than me. I work well in groups. I seek out other people’s ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than anyone of us can alone. I am humble. 7. Sharpen the Saw I take care of my body by eating right, exercising and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I find meaningful ways to help others. There is nothing cuter than hearing your 6 and 7 year olds say, "I need to be proactive, not reactive!" I am reinforcing these seven habits at home and so far it is doing wonders for them. They are helping more without complaining and they seem happier. Gabriel even picked out toys for his sister and brother yesterday which is something I have never seen him do on his own before. It was a big development for him. Alex helped me laminate seven little posters to hang in our learning room for the kids to see the 7 habits daily. He was excited to read the posters and tell me about the meaning of each one.

These posters were free at the Teachers Pay Teachers site. I also printed book marks and notes from the teacher for the kids to give their teachers. I don't know if the teachers will want to use them but they were free and cute so I wanted to print them. These are good habits for all of us to use every day.