Let’s extend a warm welcome to @Amy Grantham @Heather Wilson @Sandie Slowey and @Nakita Fele Please introduce yourself. We are happy to have you here. Some quick tips. General Discussion is primarily “education” and general info. Play Prompts and Games are activities for you and your family or the kids in your life. Free4All is your area, share tips, ask for help, anything you choose. More shortly.

Let’s extend a warm welcome to our newest community members @Wendy Lee-Chu and @Charlie Svensson You joined at a great time. Take a few minutes to explore. You’ll find play ideas under Play Ideas and Prompts or Games. The Free4All is your place to ask questions, share tips, ideas, and favorite games. Happy to have you here.

Bear with me as I introduce my topic for today. Those of you who have been in the community for awhile may recall we lost power for three days due to a freak ice storm. As much as we tried to prepare, no one was ready for no heat and no supplies because stores were either sold out or seasonal merchandise was changing. Ugh. Yesterday, we lost power in the middle of the day, no reason given, just poof everything shut off, fortunately power was back within 2 hours but then, we had a thunderstorm to beat all thunderstorms, wind, hail, pouring rain. At one point, I thought a tree was going to come into the bedroom! Even the cats freaked out and they are pretty laid back. Did I mention, we live in an area prone to tornados? 2 weeks ago we celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the tornado that tried to eat me. Luckily it didn’t but it did get my car and the building I worked in. Which leads me to our topic today. What do we do to prepare our kids for an emergency. I’d like you to think about this, when a crisis happens, whether it’s a power outage, a storm, a kitchen fire, or even a war, the brain’s "alarm center" (the amygdala) takes over. This is the biological "High Pressure" system. In this state, logic goes out the window, and panic sets in. The antidote to panic isn't "calmness,” it’s Muscle Memory. When we talk to our kids about emergency preparedness, the goal isn’t to scare them, instead, it’s to help them. Formally, this is known as “Pre-Scripting” the brain. We are giving the prefrontal cortex a set of instructions to follow so that when the "alarm" goes off, the body already knows what to do. How can we help? One way is to minimize confusion which happens when there is a gap between "something is wrong" and "I know what to do." Preparation closes that gap. When kids have a job or a plan, they feel like they matter in the moment. They aren't just a liability to be carried; they are a part of the team. I’d love to know, what’s one of your “scary” emergencies and how did you handle it?

It wouldn’t be right to not look at games in a community focused on play so here’s something fun to ponder. While the rules of games change from country to country, the spirit of play is a universal language. Whether it’s Mancala in Africa, Mahjong in China, or Tag in an alley in Chicago, games are how children learn to navigate "Collaborative Friction." In a world that pushes kids toward professionalized, high-stakes sports, which can add immense weight and pressure, global games remind us that play can be simple, social, and accessible to everyone. Speaking of pushing kids into high stakes sports, if you ever want to hear my story with my son and tennis, let me know. I’m not sure how things work in other countries but in the states, sports pressure is real and it’s not always pretty. Today, we are celebrating the fact that no matter where you go on this planet, if you have a handful of stones or a bit of string, you have everything you need to belong.

Have you ever sat around a campfire sharing stories with friends or perhaps the modern day, grown-up equivalent sharing stories after work at a bar or restaurant? Did you ever sit in wonder listening to your parents or grandparents talk about, “When I was a kid…” If yes, then you have experienced part of a tradition that has existed for centuries, in fact, long before we had libraries, there was the "Fire Circle." Every culture has used stories to pass down their values, their history, and their warnings. Years ago, it was the fire circle, today it may be through memes, urban legends, or other methods. However you look at it, folklore is how a community decides what matters. In many Western stories, the "hero" is a lone individual who succeeds through strength. But in many other global traditions, the hero is the person who is the wisest, the most patient, or the most helpful to the group. By exploring global myths and legends, we help our kids see that "heroism" isn't always about being the loudest or the fastest. Here’s an exercise for you, think about pop culture and see if you can find a show or movie that excels in storytelling and myth building or myth busting. Show us in a gif or clip. Can you figure out mine?