It's like Guy Smiley always says

And now it's time for everybody's favourite game show:

Family Feuding!

(cue cheesy music-do,do,do)

With everybody's favourite host, Guy Smiley!!!

GUY: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you everybody!

On today's show of Family Feuding we're going to talk about how to continue with self-regulation in your home. When tempers flare and fighting ensues, there is a danger that you will say something nasty.

Something mean.

Something...

(Guy bites his knuckle and takes a deep breath)

something you will regret.

We've all done it. Once hurtful words are spoken, they can't be taken back.

Today we start with a strategy to help your family out when you could cut the tension with a knife...or when everyone is yelling at the top of their lungs. I mean, really, it could go either way, best to be prepared for both circumstances.

To help us learn this technique, I invited my good friend Zippy to help us.

(Crowd erupts with raucous applause)

(And you thought a puppet for a talk show host was weird? Zippy is half paper, half banana. You can't pay for this kind of entertainment, people!)

Zippy grins wide like a river.

Crowd erupts in more raucous applause and a few brave audience members "hoot" their approval.

(Back to Guy):

Zippy is going to teach us about a technique called Z.I.P.P.E.R.

Let's show everyone at home what ZIPPER means, Zippy.

Let's take a situation like homeschooling. A lot of crazy things can happen in an environment like that. Let's say, oh, I don't know, you and you're child are working on a challenging problem.

It becomes too difficult for the learner. He or she becomes frustrated and they start to express their frustration using words. Show 'em Zippy.

Zippy is frustrated and starting to show his frustration.

GUY: This is Zippy venting his frustration with words....(Guy lowers his head and sighs as he says): Mean words. Hurtful words. Words that (jabbing motion to the heart) really sting.

Zippy needs to take a minute and apply the ZIPPER technique.

(The audience hears mumbling from behind the zipped mouth bringing home the idea that Zippy's lips have indeed been zipped shut. That's step one.)

Back to Guy:

(and now for the song and dance portion of this show)

Z- Zip your mouth.

Stop and take a deep breath.

I-Identify the problem.

What do I need? What is my problem?

P-Pause

Take a moment to calm down or remove yourself myself from the situation

P-Put yourself in Charge

take control of my actions

E-Explore Choices

What can I do? Try and relax.? Forget about it? Apologize?

R-Reset-

Pick an option

Once you 've followed the steps, then choose to do the right thing.

How do you feel now, Zippy?

That is one happy Zippy! Way to go, Zippy!

(Guy expresses his enthusiasm by throwing his head back and shaking his head and arms in that way that only puppets can)

Crowd erupts and music comes up to signal the end of the show.

That's all the time we have for today, folks. Tune in next week for everybody's favourite game show: Family Feuding.

I'm Guy Smiley saying," I'm everyone's favourite game show host."