Today’s Excerpt: The Opening Activity From the Lesson

Choose one or two of the activities below and see how long each participant can stick with it.

Either time each activity for two minutes or make it a competition. (If it’s just before bedtime, you might choose to do a one-minute meditation instead of a physical activity. Set a timer for one minute and invite your kids to notice their breath.)

• Hold your arms outstretched as long as you can
• Sit against a wall
• Balance a book on your head
• Keep a balloon from touching the ground
• Hold plank position
• Do jumping jacks
• A similar activity of your choice

Discuss:

• What made you stick to it? What made you give up?
• What feeling did you have when you felt like stopping?
• What were the words or thoughts that came with the feeling?
• What words or thoughts did you have that made you stay with it?
• Did you have a certain feeling inside when you held on a bit longer?

Explain that having grit means that we stick with something when it’s important, even when we’re uncomfortable or challenged. We just keep going.