Courage stones & the perception of your own strength

Behind every "courage request" is actually the conviction: "I can't do it!" Or "I can't do it!" Isn't that true?

That's why it was important for me to clarify this point with the children first: "And if you wanted to be a bit braver... didn't you have the confidence to do that?"

Building on this, we discussed some experiences that made the children realise with pride that they had made it after all! And that's a very different message to myself, isn't it?

Then suddenly it's: "I've done it! So I can do it after all!" Or: "I'm brave! Because I was brave enough to do THAT."

The next step was to visualise the word MUT "in your mind's eye". Whereas it was previously seen in thick black letters, after the previous exercise it was more colourful, bright, in rainbow colours or simply embedded in many small colourful dots.

The children put this picture on paper with coloured pencils as a possible first draft and then chose one of the glittering white stones. Some of the children then redesigned the first draft.

The mood and atmosphere in the room was characterised by silence as well as outbursts of enthusiasm, which made the inner confrontation with the topic of courage clear. They explained their own ideas and looked appreciatively at the others, who presented their personal relationship to the word courage in a completely different way.

To my surprise, the first strokes on the stones were drawn less hesitantly than I had expected. Although the children realised that there was only one stone to paint on, they seemed to be very confident in doing so. There was also very little talking and - I can't describe it any other way - there was a very special atmosphere in the painting circus wagon: pleasant and relaxed, but also somehow excited and "crackling".

Before embarking on a journey of relaxation, we first had to get moving again in order to shake off thoughts and feelings - to free ourselves. Running after the balloons outside or jumping after them so that they are not carried away by the wind is a great way to do this and is also fun

Imagination was then used once again to deepen our awareness of our own strengths.

And so (unfortunately) this wonderful afternoon came to an end, for which the children thanked us very warmly. - Gaby Hammer