If I Only Had A Green Nose

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We just got this book for our facility and I am already in love with it!  This particular activity focuses on the idea of codependency and peer pressure, but there are many other applications of the book as well.

Materials:
Book "If I Only Had A Green Nose" by Max Lucado
Paper
Colored pencils/markers/crayons

Description:
Give patients a blank piece of paper. On one side, have them draw or write about a situation when they gave in to peer pressure and followed the crowd. On the other side of the paper, have them draw or write about a time when they stood up for themselves and didn’t give in to what others wanted them to do.

Ask patients to share their pictures. Discuss the two instances as a group. What emotions accompanied each experience?

Read the book “If I Only Had a Green Nose” by Max Lucado with the patients. Discuss with them the message of the book.

Afterwards, relate the idea to co-dependency.

Co-dependency: of or pertaining to a relationship in which one person is physically or psychologically addicted, as to alcohol or gambling, and the other person is psychologically dependent on the first in an unhealthy way. 

Discuss how fads are a type of co-dependency.

Discuss how the Wemmicks in the book displayed the characteristics of dependency.

Consider the following questions:
-What kind of person is Willy Withit?
-What stood out to you about Punchinello? About Lucia?
-Why do you think Punchinello kept changing?
-Who gave Willy Withit power to decide what is “in”?

Relate the activity to our present lives.
-How does this relate to a situation you currently find yourself in? Explain.
-Have you ever acted as the “Willy Withit” in your group of friends? The Punchinello? The Lucia?

Talk about the importance of standing tall and not giving in to peer pressure or allowing ourselves to be overly dependent on others.

Idea submitted by Andrea Call, CTRS.