Family Connection
Talking connects. Sharing deepens bonds. Discussing hard hitting topics with your child shows them they can talk to you about anything and everything.
About the BIGGIES conversation cards.
These conversation cards are BIG for a reason. 6” by 8” in fact. We’re doing BIG things here.
The concepts
The 25 social emotional concepts included with the deck teach children to:
25 BIG cards, 25 BIG social emotional concepts
Each card falls into a color-coded category: Body, Mind, Heart, World, or Spirit. Card topics are listed in black.BODY
Balance
Risk
Boundaries
Mind/Body Link
Listening
MIND
Patience & Goals
Perseverance
Creativity
Perspective
Being Mindful
HEART
Forgiveness
Belonging
Gratitude
Kindness
Accepting Others
WORLD
Connection
Curiosity
Choices
Rituals
Courage to Lead
SPIRIT
The Present
Meaning
Wisdom
Cycle of Life
Tough Times
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The Fronts
Each card is each uniquely illustrated. Short exercises, fun facts, real world examples, and quotes from well-known movies and beloved icons jumpstart conversations that will build your child’s emotional intelligence, foster their communication skills, and spark meaningful connection for all involved.
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The Backs
Additional thought-provoking questions help you expand a topic if you’d like to dig deeper.
Did You Know? What’s Your Take? I Wonder…
The why.
The pressures of social media. Academic demands. Viruses and global pandemics. Schoolyard bullying and cyber-bullying. Fiercely competitive athletic programs. Racial bias. Cut-throat school admissions. Depression. Anxiety. Learning disabilities. Eating disorders. Sex. The teen suicide rate that keeps ticking up. Life on speed. Speed itself and other illegal substances. Hyper-schedules and sleep deficits. Too much freedom to get lost in the world wide web. Too little freedom to just be a kid.
As good as we try to make it for our youngsters, we can’tprotect them from life’s challenges because, well, that’s life.
But you can help them develop RESILIENCE.
a
Resilience
is the ability to rise from the rubble when life knocks you down. Resilient people get back up after defeat, disappointment, and failure rather than be overcome.
The American Psychological Association asserts, “Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.”
“Many studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships.
Other factors include:
• The capacity to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out.
• A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities.
• Skills in communication and problem solving.
• The capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses.”
So how do you make your child resilient?
Enter
The BiGgiEs Formula for Resilience.
Emotional Intelligence
The 25 social emotional topics included with the deck will help grow your child’s:
- self-awareness
- self-acceptance
- self-confidence
- self-trust
- self-love
Communication
Formulating answers to thoughtful questions hones your child’s critical reasoning muscle and ability to express themselves. When children are able to articulate their hopes, fears, and ideas, they connect to themselves and others.
Resilience is instilled in children when families nurture their child’s communication skills, develop their emotional intelligence, and establish caring and supportive relationships.
The makers.
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Were created in 2020 by Devin Tomiak.
After her youngest brother died by suicide in 2014, she was driven to understand resiliency, where it comes from, and how it’s bolstered. As a mom of two young boys, her preoccupation had a unique urgency. THE BIGGIES were born from her mission to strengthen her relationship with her own children, develop their emotional intelligence, and improve the communication skills of her whole family. She has found meaning in sharing her experience with other caregivers and children in the hope they can learn and benefit alongside her.
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Dr. Amy Engelman advised. Dr. Engelman is a Community Psychologist and the Founding President of Intentional Inquiry. She has over 15 years of experience fostering community-school partnerships, youth engagement, social emotional wellness, and data-driven decision-making through community-based participatory research and evaluation. She specializes in building communities and relationships that support children’s resilience and ability to thrive no matter what their individual circumstances may be. Her own battle with suicidality was an important lens in the creation of THE BIGGIES.
A portion of all proceeds from THE BIGGIES goes toward the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
