Utah Mama

Say the Magic Words: Envisioning the Perfect School Year

They’re back.  Our first day was yesterday.  Every year I wish my girls would let me pin some sort of a note on their first day of school shirts that say, “Please handle this one with extra care.”  But of course who would let me do that?  Instead, I have to help them from the inside.

My thirteen year old kept saying all summer, “Eighth grade is going to be awesome.”  It sounded like a daily affirmation–prepping herself for this very day.  I was glad of it, but wondered if she had more specific goals in mind.  After dinner the other night, I pulled out a magic wand (we happen to have several in this house of girls.)  I told the girls to pretend they could wave this wand over their school year.  What would the perfect school year look like for them?  They wrote down their answers on notecards.  They said things like:

• I will like my teachers.
• I will have good friends.
• I will have very good grades.
• I will be interested in the lessons and activities.

It was interesting to hear what they think would make a “perfect” year.  Their cards almost read like a set of class rules.  But beyond saying, “this year is going to be awesome” it seemed important to have them envision what an awesome year would look like for them.    I’ve been listening to Brian Tracy’s Flight Plan.  He says that part of the reason people don’t succeed is they haven’t decided what it is that they want.  I want my girls to decide.

Next I had them choose one magic word they thought would help make their best year come true.  I used this list from Ali Edwards to help.  They scrolled through and we brainstormed together until they found one they liked.

Then I let them paint their magic words with acrylic paints on small paint canvases I found at Big Lots for $1.00.

I did not pin these magic words to their shirts yesterday, but I did put them on display in their bedrooms.  I hope that each morning it helps them to remember the magic they plan to make this year.

Go girls!