Grandfather Gandhi

Name: Grandfather Gandhi
Author: Bethany Hegedus

A story that explores friendship and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

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♥ This book teaches: Friendship. showing up for someone else.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: A friendship occurs when two or more people are able to experience respect, trust, and kindness in their relationship. In short: Build bonds that last forever. Summary: Arun Gandhi, grandson of the world-famous peacemaker, wants to live up to the Gandhi name, but it’s really hard. This story is about a boyhood experience and the advice his grandfather gives him about how to handle anger. The grandfather offers advice when his grandson struggles about a conflict he has with another player in a soccer game. Grandfather Gandhi compares anger to lightning because it is sudden and destructive. He tells his grandson that an alternative way to deal with this is to channel anger into something productive and work to make changes. “We can all work to use our anger instead of letting it use us.” When we learn to do this, we can have peaceful friendships with others. Lesson Objectives:

Students will be more inclined to self-reflect when they are angry, and look for ways to channel that energy into something productive.
This story can be a link to studies about India and Mahatma Gandhi’s methods of nonviolent protests to achieve results.

Guiding Questions:

Gandhi was a world famous peacemaker. Do some research and learn about why he was so famous. Then answer this question: why did Arun lack confidence about being part of the Gandhi family?
What are some differences between your culture - food, greeting one’s grandparents, where one sits, the weather, daily activities, clothing - and the one described in this story?
What happened at the soccer game that bothered Arun?
What did Arun do after he left the soccer game?
Do you know anyone who is good at keeping the peace? Think about asking them to tell you what helps them control their anger.
Grandfather says anger is like electricity - what does he mean by this?
How does Grandfather use anger to “turn the darkness into light”?
What does this mean to you?: “We can all work to use our anger instead of letting it use us.”
Are you experiencing something that makes you angry? Is there someone who could help you deal with it or something you could do about it that will make you feel better?
An “I statement” is one in which you express your feelings to someone else by starting with “I” instead of accusing someone else. Example: “I am upset when you….” Use the “I statement” instead of accusing: “you always do this…” Try this and tell someone how it worked for you.

🌿 Virtue Connection: Friendship means showing up for someone else, consistently.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.

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Friendship · Family Discussion Guide

Grandfather Gandhi

by Bethany Hegedus

Guiding Questions

Students will be more inclined to self-reflect when they are angry, and look for ways to channel that energy into something productive.
This story can be a link to studies about India and Mahatma Gandhi’s methods of nonviolent protests to achieve results.

Guiding Questions:

Gandhi was a world famous peacemaker. Do some research and learn about why he was so famous. Then answer this question: why did Arun lack confidence about being part of the Gandhi family?
What are some differences between your culture - food, greeting one’s grandparents, where one sits, the weather, daily activities, clothing - and the one described in this story?
What happened at the soccer game that bothered Arun?
What did Arun do after he left the soccer game?
Do you know anyone who is good at keeping the peace? Think about asking them to tell you what helps them control their anger.
Grandfather says anger is like electricity - what does he mean by this?
How does Grandfather use anger to “turn the darkness into light”?
What does this mean to you?: “We can all work to use our anger instead of letting it use us.”
Are you experiencing something that makes you angry? Is there someone who could help you deal with it or something you could do about it that will make you feel better?
An “I statement” is one in which you express your feelings to someone else by starting with “I” instead of accusing someone else. Example: “I am upset when you….” Use the “I statement” instead of accusing: “you always do this…” Try this and tell someone how it worked for you.

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Grandfather Gandhi

Guiding Questions for Parents.

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Grandfather Gandhi

Guiding Questions