Can’t-Do is a fun Crabbie to BEAT! The results are sooooo rewarding!!

First thing – read The Little Engine That Could. From then on it’s very easy and fun for children to say:

“I think I can. I think I can!”

Then, if you hear anyone say, “It’s too hard!” or, “I can’t do this!” or, “I don’t know what to do!”, remind them about The Little Engine That Could and how she kept saying, “I think I can. I think I can!” …all the way until she did it!!!

Before you know it, you will hear them saying it themselves while they’re just working on something like zipping their jacket or printing their name!

This will melt your heart and chase any Can’t-Do Crabbies away. It is also the perfect time to pull out the, “I Think I Can” ribbons and give them out along with lots of praise.

It’s okay to give ribbons pretty often. Anytime there’s something noteworthy that you can reward, go ahead and write what they did on the back of a ribbon and reward them with it!

There are lots of opportunities we use to give out “I Think I Can” ribbons, including:

• Self-Help Skills
• Dressing on their own
• Putting on shoes
• Tying shoes
• Zipping jackets
• Helping oneself in the bathroom
• Academics
• Singing the ABC song
• Letter recognition
• Counting
• Number recognition
• Shape recognition
• Cutting
• Printing
• Letter sounds
And lots more…

This is a great time to discuss and praise their INITIATIVE (learn about ‘Initiative’ in the U.L.T.I.M.A.T.E. WiseOnes section). How do kids feel when they are told they have great initiative and that they are a really big help?

THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!

Believe it or not, we've had three year-olds tell their parents when being picked up from preschool at the end of the day that they have “Initiative!”

Have fun watching the growth in confidence that builds with the accumulation of ribbons. Beating Can’t-Do is a great feeling for those that beat him AND for those who help move the process along.