Today I'm excited because we're showcasing empathy, resilience and hope with one of my role models and friends, Dr. Michele Borba.
I had the pleasure of connecting with her on Saturday;
grab some coffee or tea and tune in here:
I'm going to say that my biggest take-away is that
Thrivers have all found a way to decompress.
A diversion. A pastime. A hobby.
Of course I love that Dr. Borba mentions knitting,
because I have always connected to knitting,
not only for fun or to create cool stuff,
but as a therapeutic resource.
We also use it for service with our third graders. The Houston Chronicle captured this beautiful shot back in January of 2007, when a rep from
Save The Children visited to tell our young knitters why they're knitting, to reduce the infant mortality rate. The why is so important; in fact, purpose and passion are key to sustainability.
Photo credit: Houston Chronicle
Just look at the compassion in their faces, when she told them that upwards of 10 million children die every year before they reach the age of five. Of that number, 4 million die in the first month of life and of that number, about half, or 2 million, die within the first 24 hours. She added that in Bangladesh, it's common to not even name your baby until it has reached an age of 9 months, because they're not expected to live that long. I remember it so vividly because it really knit empathy into our kids' hearts. And it fueled their passion for our project!
We made front-page news when we took Elizabeth to the White House
and to lobby on Capitol Hill to help reduce the infant mortality rate
as a part of Save The Children's Caps To The Capitol campaign.
Though we started out making patches for blankets to donate,
our students ended up knitting a LOT of hats over the years;
in fact, this is the first year in 16 that the Club isn't active,
and that's only out of Covid precaution.
It's a hobby that I often pray they've adopted for life, a resilience skill that they can use when stress threatens to overwhelm them. New research suggests that it only takes 60-90 seconds to cross correct from stress, to start to complete the stress cycle. Sounds like just a few stitches could get the ball rolling and work wonders, eh?
Sometimes I get acknowledgement that students have taken this skill
with them and that they use it to help them recharge and endure. 😍
Sarah, this side-by-side of you moving from a giddy third grader
to a glowing college senior makes my heart incredibly joyful;
the calm that I feel as I watch you knit for pleasure is palpable!
So just how, exactly, DO we raise a generation of Thrivers?
Check out these Seven Essential Traits of Thrivers.
The good news is that, like knitting, all of the skills are teachable.
Dr. Borba suggests starting where you need to. There's an
assessment in the book so you can evaluate what area
your Thriver might need help with growing through.
She also says that our model is critical.
So how are YOU a Thriver?
I still knit quite a bit.
It's so soothing and satisfying,
especially to send it to someone special.
Want to do a book study? There's a lengthy Educator Discussion Guide.
For more of Dr. Borba's energy and enthusiasm, check out:
Then check out Thrivers, a book that Dr. Phil says
is a must-read for every parent everywhere.
What's your favorite go-to way to knit empathy,
resilience, and hope with your Thrivers?
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