Be a Hero Like Helen Keller
Helen Keller could not see or hear. At first she was frustrated and acted out, but with the help of a trusted teacher Helen learned to communicate. Learning was hard, but she didn’t give up. She learned to read Braille, and found new ways to learn. She went to college, learned other languages, and wrote books. Helen had the courage to overcome her obstacles and do more than anyone ever thought possible. Read more about Helen Keller in Brad Meltzer’s “I Am Helen Keller Ordinary People Change the World.” Afterwards, pick a few of the character building activities to encourage your child to develop their own inner hero.
Listen to the book read by Brad Meltzer:
Talk About Values and Listen to Your Child’s Ideas
Curiosity Curiosity Helps Us Grow
- What is something that has been hard for you to learn? What are things you want to learn? What do you want to do with your learning? When do you like learning new things?
- Share something that took you time to learn or get good at. What things did you do to help you learn more?
Kindness Makes a Difference In The World
- Ask your child who they think are important people in their lives. Who do they enjoy talking to? Who helps them learn and grow?
- Tell your child about someone that you enjoyed talking with as a child? How did their care help you grow?
Courage Helps Us Handle Life’s Obstacles
- Ask your child to tell you about something that frustrates them. Why do they think it is frustrating?
- Tell your child about something that frustrated you and how you learned to move beyond frustration/handle frustration in the moment.
- Think of things you have both learned to do in the skill areas listed below. Talk about what you are most proud to be able to do.
- Athletic skills (eg playing pickleball, catching a pass)
- Self-Care skills (eg getting dressed, taking a walk, calming yourself)
- Household skills (eg selecting groceries, cooking a meal, cleaning up)
- Academic skills (eg reading, writing, counting)
- Artistic skills (singing, drawing, acting)
- Other skills