I Can’t Believe You Said That (Best Me I Can Be)

Banish rude and insensitive comments at home and school by teaching kids in grades K through 6 how to use a social filter. RJ is a youngster who always says what he thinks no matter how it sounds or makes others feel. RJ doesn’t realize his words are wrong–he thinks he’s just speaking the truth and offering feedback. Throughout the story, RJ is taught how to analyze social situations before he speaks and to choose appropriate words to say, or none at all. With help from his parents, he discovers he doesn’t have to verbalize every thought that pops into his head. In fact, sometimes the less said, the better! To explain the abstract concept of using a social filter, best-selling author Julia Cook provides a creative, concrete solution. The illustrations and explanations provided will help all children learn the difference between words that you think and words that you say. This storybook is the seventh in Julia Cook’s book series, which teaches children social skills that can make home life happier and school more successful. The skills are part of the Boys Town Education Model(r) that has improved student behavior and classroom climates in hundreds of schools across the country. Many of the same techniques can also be found in the strategies that comprise Boys Town’s Common Sense Parenting(r) program. Tips for parents and educators on how to effectively choose appropriate words to say, analyze social situations, think before you speak, and control impulses are included at the end of the picture book.