When you look in the mirror, who do you see? Are you the person you want to be? Please remember, your reflection shows up in all you say and do, and believe it or not, your children and others are watching you!

I think we all know the old cliche' "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and today more than ever with the Pandemic, with changing schedules, changing of lifestyles, changing of family units, etc. we need to take care of who we are and to not lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe this because I have tremendous faith, some may not feel the same way as I do. Some may consider their glass half empty instead of half full, and I make no judgements. I do however, know that when we have a positive outlook, a positive attitude and we are grateful, that things do look different, they look hopeful, they change our reflection, they change how we see ourselves and others. It's a reflection that one must work at, like anything else. My daughter once said to me, "mom, I wish I lived in your head" and we laughed. I'm not saying one shouldn't take situations seriously, what I am saying is that we need to choose our battles, we need to look on the bright side and we need to keep on going, show up and make the best of the day, always.

Please keep in mind, just as we said to our children when they were young, 'this, too shall pass' if you're feeling frustrated, feeling confused, feeling angry or bitter, take time to reflect. Because your reflection shows in all you say and do, and again, when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Before you know it you'll become the grumpy mom, the crabby co-worker and even a crummy spouse. What can one do?

It's so important to take care of yourself, of who you are, of who you want to be and change habits that don't reflect the person you are meant to be. Find somebody to talk to about your worries, your faith helps with this, a lot. Find some good books to dive into about a positive mindset, about personal growth. Find yourself again in a hobby you like to do. Display inspirational quotes as visual reminders. Start writing and drawing in a journal, write down three things daily that you are grateful for.

Stop to smell the roses! See the beauty that surrounds you each day, count your blessings. And, when you look in the mirror next time, may your reflection be just who you inspire to be. Last year I went on an art retreat with a dear friend to Louisiana, we drove there in her blue smart car! I met a beautiful group of ladies who inspired me through their conversations, their spirituality, their unique gifts. The host turned to me and asked, "Joni, what brings you here" and I said, "I'm looking for Joni again. So, I encourage you to find your way, find yourself, find your happiness, because happiness heals. Look in the mirror, who do you see?

Why donations are more important than ever with Covid-19
Giving patients something to distract them from their hospital visit has always been important.  No one wants to sit in a hospital room and have nothing to do except focus on the fact that they are in a hospital room.  When the pandemic struck, even more restrictions were put on what was and wasn't allowed in hospitals.  We recently found out that due to the pandemic sharing of toys is no longer allowed in most hospitals, common areas are not being utilized which means that children are confined to their rooms or limited to where they are able to visit, and many hospitals are no longer accepting certain toys such as stuffed animals due to not being able to clean them properly.  

This is all the more reason that we are increasing our efforts to focus on donating our Superhero Character Building Kits to the children's hospitals and wards in Tennessee.  After speaking with a few representatives from different hospitals we learned that Winter is a busy time of the year for the hospitals and we'd like to begin sending out these donations sooner rather than later. Our activity kits are easy to store, include everything the patient needs to complete the activities, and are for a single person to use.  There is no exchanging of activities (though we hope they display their beautiful artwork for others to appreciate!) and each child gets their very own kit to keep in their room.  

We would also like to emphasize that behind the scenes we are taking extra precautions to prevent exposure.  Joni, founder of Characters of Character NFP, Inc., is the only person preparing and packing the activity kits.  

Where The Kits Are Donated To In TN
As our organization continues to reach out to Tennessee hospitals our list will continue to grow.  Right now, our kits will be donated to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and East Tennessee Children's Hospital.  Our Superhero Character Building Activity Kits are an ongoing project at Characters of Character NFP, Inc.  Donations made on this page will be used to fulfill kits that are being donated to children's hospitals in Tennessee.  If you'd like to mail a check or donate through Facebook, please contact us so that we know your donation is going towards the Tennessee Superhero Kits. 

Where The Kits Are Donated To In TX
So far we have donated our resources to the Huntley Hospital in Huntley, Illinois, to Ann & Robert Lurie's Children's Hospital in Chicago, and Loyola. Characters of Character has reached out to Texas Children's Hospital in Edinburg, Texas and in Houston to accept these donations. This list will grow! Our Superhero Character Building Activity Kits are an ongoing project at Characters of Character NFP, Inc.  Donations made on this page will be used to fulfill kits that are being donated to children's hospitals in Texas.  If you'd like to mail a check or donate through Facebook, please contact us so that we know your donation is going towards the Texas Superhero Kits. 

What Is Included In Each Sturdy and Colorful Box
Each box is colorful and sturdy and includes a Superhero Activity Book, crayons, watercolor paints, paint brush, a canvas to paint that says, I AM SUPER, an easel to display the art work, a superhero sticker, a superhero mask (in plastic) a black and white poster to color or paint of all the characters, a character (agent) lanyard to wear, plus, a handwritten letter from one of the Characters of Character! Quite a bit of fun, engaging and empowering materials to utilize while in the hospital. And finally, put together with a whole lot of love.

      What Are Superhero Character Building Kits?

Characters of Character NFP, Inc. focuses on nine different character traits that we believe are essential for a child to develop and improve on at an early age.  These nine traits are; behavior, perseverance, friendship, healthy habits, manners, respect, responsibility, self-esteem, and kindness.  
Our Superhero Themed Character Building Activity Kits not only encourage children be better citizens, but they also incorporate a positive and healthy way for children to express themselves through art.  Including everything needed, from watercolor paints to their very own felt superhero mask, children are able to have a positive distraction and engaging activities to keep their minds busy, all while internalizing positive character attributes.  

There are so many ways to help Characters of Character and we appreciate you thinking of us as your charity to support!  Some of the biggest ways you can help are...
• Make a monetary donation
• Choosing Characters of Character when you shop Amazon
• Liking our page on Facebook
• Sharing our organization and project with others
​• Sponsoring this project (contact us for details)

As you can see, there is a lot of quality materials that go into each and every colorful and sturdy character activity box for our children. Your donation fulfills one box, and together we can make a difference one child at a time. If you would like to learn how you or your business can become a sponsor for any of the projects, please contact us. Thank you for learning about the Characters of Character.

                                             Hendersonville Has Confidence!
Self-Esteem Elephant is one of nine Characters developed by Joni Downey, founder of Characters of Character NFP, Inc.  The biggest message that Self-Esteem Elephant shares is, "I like ME!" -- the perfect message for children to internalize at an early age.  

Why is building confidence in children important?
Building confidence at an early age has the ability to make children feel better about themselves.  Think about yourself - when you lack confidence how do you feel?  You can be depressed, lazy, and settle for mediocre.  Now, think about how you feel when your confidence is high - how do you feel?  You probably feel motivated and fearless - even eager to ask for help if you need it because you're excited about your life and want to continue advancing forward.

Confidence goes hand in hand with making good decisions.  When a child has confidence they are able to maintain a growth mindset, finding solutions rather than seeing the problems.  They are also more likely to take responsibility for their actions - the good and the bad.  

That's why Characters of Character NFP, Inc. developed the Mindfulness Affirmation Character Building Kit featuring Self-Esteem Elephant.  Our Mindfulness Kit is filled with activities, positive visual reminders, and allows children an outlet to express their true feelings and emotions while developing confidence.

What does the kit include? Incorporating the arts with our social and emotional learning is extremely important to Characters of Character NFP, Inc.  We believe that allowing children a safe outlet to express themselves is key to developing coping skills that will follow the child into their adult life.  That's why we developed our Mindfulness Affirmation Confidence Building Kit to not only encourage a positive mindset, but also encourage the child to explore their creative side!

Each kit includes:
• Colorful packaging that doubles as positive visual reminders
• Watercolor painting activity (includes a 4x4 pre-designed canvas, watercolors, paintbrush, and a mini easel)
• Set of 9 affirmation cards; 1 for each character trait we focus on
•  8.5x11 colored poster to be used as a visual reinforcement long after the activities inside the kit have been completed
•  "I am!" name tag activity
• Self-Esteem Elephant themed folder; great to bring to school, keep positive messages in, or to be used at home
• Bookmark
• Crayons
• Characters of Character's affirmation coloring book
• An introductory letter to the child to explain who Self-Esteem Elephant is and the message we want to share
• Self-Esteem Elephant stickers

If you would like additional information to become involved and make a difference in the life of a child, please visit us online and reach out at anytime. We can't donate these resources without your support. There are children who need us, you, and us to make a difference in their life, to build confidence and self-esteem and a stronger community. Please consider a donation or a sponsorship for the Hendersonvilel has Confidence project! Thank you, together we will make a difference.

                                              Tip from Behavior Bear

This is an important message from Behavior Bear! I just want to let you know, I wear my mask wherever I go. Wearing a mask is important today, to wear it at home, at work, at school and play. If you're not sure you can always ask, if you're not sure when to wear your mask . Be sure to wash your hands and stay your distance, too because these now are good behaviors made just for you! Love, Behavior Bear
 
Have you met Behavior Bear? This is one of the Characters who cares, visit us online to learn more, cause teaching children good behavior is what's in store! Please pass me along to help others know, wearing a mask is a good way to go!
                        Tip from Behavior Bear
When you encourage your child the behaviors improve, teach them that a mask is to be worn in their classroom or at home or in the community, depending where you live and what you're teaching them to do during the Pandemic.

Color me in and then let me know, that your behavior will surely grow! I'm a good listener and follow the rules, at home, at school and in the community, too! Having good behavior is the right thing to do!