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You are here: Home / Habits for Happy Kids / mad sad glad

November 17, 2009 by: Hodgepodgemom

mad sad glad

P7150757Mad sad glad is a little game we play at supper time once or twice a week. It’s a gem I learned from Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott’s Parenting the Early Years. And it’s not just for preschoolers.

It’s as the name says. You take turns as you go around the table and everyone shares what made them mad, sad and glad that day. Let’s face it. We all can think of something for each category – little ones, older children, even us adults. And it is always good to end with the glad.

Honestly, this helps us get beyond the sit down, chew with your mouth closed, lean over and eat your peas commands. The game also gets everyone talking, allowing us parents to help the children to work through some emotions we each face daily. Reflect on the day. We might even remember something we’d already dismissed in our minds.

Sometimes Daddy and I arbitrate the continuation of a sibling squabble. I’d rather handle it then, helping children to work out disagreements Biblically, than to allow something to go unsettled. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Ephesians 4:26 (The Brother Offended Checklist)

Sometimes the children ask to play mad sad glad as we are riding in the car or tucking in at bedtime. It’s a good opener for all kinds of discussion. Maybe there was something awful that happened in the news. As homeschoolers, fortunately, our children are somewhat sheltered from the world. But we want them to know the evils that exist. We want them to be in the world but not of the world. There will be failures. People will disappoint us. We want to educate them on how to handle something hard. Why does so and so happen? Well, ultimately because there is sin in this imperfect world. Yet we can find comfort in the fact that God has the whole world in His hands. And we know He wins in the end.

So, the mad sad glad game has served us well. It helps us to slow down and talk at suppertime. Gives us a chance to work through situations. I guess you’d say we’re building the habit of communication.

from the 2008 archives

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About Hodgepodgemom

Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos homeschooling five children. The biggest lesson she’s learned? At the end of the day – when the dishes are put away and the children are tucked in bed – truly what matters is each child’s relationship with the Lord. Raising children is a God-given privilege and, folks, the time is short.

What’s for dinner? Part 3 -preparing
The Habit of Knowing you, Knowing your children and Knowing your family

Comments

  1. Angie says

    November 17, 2009 at 7:03 AM

    Oh, I love it!!!!!!! Thank You so much!! I can’t wait to try this out!!!

    Reply
  2. Kendra says

    November 17, 2009 at 9:43 AM

    What a great way to practice communicating feelings. I love all these suggestions for dinner conversation. Too much of the time mealtime becomes just what you said, “sit down, chew with your mouth closed, lean over and eat your peas.”

    Reply
  3. Kerri says

    November 17, 2009 at 12:43 PM

    We have been doing this periodically since you shared it with me and the everyone loves it! So simple, too 🙂

    Reply
  4. Shelley says

    November 17, 2009 at 5:21 PM

    Great idea! We’ll have to try this one. Thanks, Tricia!

    Reply
  5. Janelle says

    November 20, 2009 at 7:07 PM

    This is a great idea. I tried it the other night at the table and dinner was amazingly more pleasant! Thanks for the suggestion!!

    Reply
  6. Phyllis at All Things Beautiful says

    August 20, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    I used to do something similar on our way home from co-op classes and field trips. We did best and worst of the day. It helped them share what happened in their day when we were apart from each other. I like this variation on the idea very much and it is in the everyday, which IA like.

    Reply
    • Tricia @ Hodgepodge says

      August 22, 2011 at 3:10 PM

      Phyllis I love that variation! A perfect way to recap a field trip or co-op class.

      Reply

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