The Troubles Tree one solution to change how you are feeling. a time to reflect Today’s assembly is about someone who found a way to change how he was feeling. A carpenter, Joe was hired to help to restore an old farmhouse and had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tyre made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw wouldn’t work properly, and now his ancient van refused to start. The farmhouse owner Hank offered to drive him home. While Hank drove him home, Joe sat in stony silence. © Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015

© Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015 On arriving, Joe invited Hank in to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, Joe paused briefly at a tree, touching the tips of some of the branches with both hands. After opening the door, Joe underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. © Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015

© Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015 "Funny thing is, when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before." Afterwards, Joe walked with Hank back to his car. They went past the tree, and Hank’s curiosity got the better of him. Hank asked Joe about what he had seen Joe do earlier. "Oh, that's my troubles tree," Joe replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning, I pick them up again.“ "Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before." © Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015

© Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015 What do we do in this school when someone feels everything is going wrong? What else could we do? What do we do in this school when someone feels everything is going wrong? Introduce school system eg worry box, worry time, worry partners etc.   Who might have worries? Pupil teachers parents, grandparents, brothers sisters, friends, all pupils Teachers! System for leaving home worries outside classroom, system for leaving school worries in school, system for parents to report back worries to the school © Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015

© Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015 Worries are a nuisance they rob us of our day So tuck your worries in this box and send them on their way. For when the time has come when you take them out you’ll see They weren’t really quite as bad as you thought that they would be. Enjoy each day and know that they are safely tucked away Within this Worry Box And soon will go away. OR Link to mindfulness if your schools uses this. Summarise Learning © Mirror Assemblies - CB October 2015