Based on my reading of David Burns' book, Feeling Good, I've been thinking a lot about the benefit of practicing healthy behaviors to promote a positive mood, and a key is to do homework related to the behavior you want to improve--and count the times you practice the new behavior. So, I needed something to use for counting that was easy to keep handy...well,
Golf stroke counters to the rescue--the watch-style ones looked kinda dorky and were expensive, so I kept hunting for something else...and,
Youtube to the rescue! Here is a link to making a golf/knitting counter:
https://youtu.be/djuc6sUw2w0
I used some cording, beads and findings I had laying around the house and in about 15 minutes made this first edition of my counter:
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| Here you are at the start, no counting has yet been done. There are seven beads arranged for counting, the larger square and oval ones in the front. The other beads in the background are just for "pretty." |
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| Here, one bead has moved to the right, representing a count of one. Six beads are left to use. |
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| It's a little frayed around the edges, but it sure feels nice and soft on the wrist. Plus, it works--the beads stay where you slide them.
So, what would you like to count: The number of times you tell your kids how kind they are being to their grandparents? How often you deflect a verbal barb from that feisty cousin? The number of cookie dough "tastes" you've had in the last ten minutes???
I think my middle schoolers with autism will enjoy making these counter wristbands next January; maybe to use as fidget bracelets? If we create them in school colors I see a class business project in the making!
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