Flustered Without Mustard

A Wisdom Book for Children, Students, Parents, Teachers, Counselors, and Mindfulness Coaches!
 Flustered Without Mustard: Finding Calm When Angry & Frustrated is a rhyming picture book about a hot dog vendor who ran out of mustard, which sets off a wide variety of customers' reactions. It has concepts and points to ponder about what to do with all the anger and frustration that comes up with unexpected events.

The story can be read in 15 minutes, and is meant to be a spark for lively discussions at home, in schools, or in the counseling office to enhance thinking, enliven conversations, and motivate writing.

Barbara 'Rhubarb' Haas, MA Education, blends years of teaching (from the Madeline Hunter days to the Kagan & Kagan era), studying and incorporating brain-based learning techniques, and guiding students in her classroom to manage their emotions for the concepts in this enlightening tale.

The colorful, lighthearted watercolors by illustrator, Mary Ann Kruse, Barbara's sister, help readers to remember the book's ways to calm and tap into their own inner strengths and wisdom.

"What we know matters, but who we are matters more."

 - Brene' Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to 

 Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

We all know there are 2 parts of the report card, the academic side and social skills side. We are all talented in different areas, and academic success comes in many shapes and sizes. Parents and teachers know that learning is hampered by extreme emotions, whether happy or sad. The importance of emotional development is recognized in schools nowadays, and students are taught character-building and conflict resolution skills.

Teachers who realize that emotions are key to any learning are using brain-based learning techniques to begin each lesson. By engaging students, by creating relevance or meaning for the topic, they create a buy in for learning. Academic success increases with the ability to maintain emotional balance, and knowing ways to get calm, because life is filled with hurts, challenges, and unexpected events everyday

This book gives ideas on how to take steps towards responsibility for our own emotions, whether at home, on the playground, or in the classroom. It offers a variety of suggestions that could be used easily and anytime.

Mindfulness has found a needed place in schools to reduce anxiety and...