SUPERFLEX: Is our hero! He is totally flexible, a great problem solver and can think of many different solutions to one problem. He is called upon to defeat our Unthinkables!

The Team of Unthinkables: They can invade our brains rendering us inflexible. Each Unthinkable has its own special power over our brains…..BUT…Superflex also has many superflexible strategies to solve the problem and defeat the Unthinkables!

ROCK BRAIN:

Powers: He gets the person to do only what he wants to do and will not let him
negotiate with other people. He makes people very rule bound, rigid
and stuck only seeing one way to a situation.

Superflex Strategies: We need to notice that what we are doing is not working.
Try another way to solve the problem.
Take a deep breath and remember that being part of a
group means you cannot always have it your way.
Self Talk: “Not a problem, I will get to do this later or
another time.”

BRAIN EATER:

Powers: He makes it hard for the person to focus on the group or activity. A
person’s brain “rolls away” from the group. The person might get
easily distracted with his own thoughts or things around him.

Superflex Strategies: Turn your body and eyes away from what is distracting
you and think about the person talking.
Use a fidget to keep your body busy but your brain focused
on the group.
Notice when your brain is thinking about something else
and get it to refocus on the group.

BODY SNATCHER:

Powers: He gets the person to wander away from others (roll his body away)
and not stay with the group or person he is with. May also get the
person to turn his body away from the group, not realizing the
message he is sending to others.

Superflex Strategies: Use your eyes to think about where your group is or who
is talking to you, and find the group!
Self-Talk: “Where should my body be?”

THE DESTROYER OF FUN (D.O.F.):

Powers: This character pops up during games or competitive activities. The
person becomes very competitive and has a melt down when he
does not win.

Superflex Strategies: Self-Talk: “If I am a Just Me player, then my friends will
not have a good time.”
Self-Talk: “Tiny problem, I will get a turn or may win
another time.”

UN-WONDERER:

Powers: He stops the person from showing interest (social wondering) in others
or thinking about what others may want to do.

Superflex Strategies: Look at the person who is talking to let him know that
you are thinking about him and what he is saying.
Remember the Wh-question words and use them to
think of questions for your friends.

SPACE INVADER:

Powers: This character makes the person’s body move into other people’s
spaces. He does not realize how uncomfortable this makes others feel.

Superflex Strategies: Use the one-arm rule to determine if you are standing
too close to someone.

GLASS MAN:

Powers: Let’s a person be flexible to some extent, but then all of a sudden he
just breaks. He doesn’t melt down slowly but very quickly and starts to
get very upset over “tiny” problems. Glass Man usually thinks things
are not “fair”.

Superflex Strategies: Identify the size of the problem (1-10) and what would
be an expected reaction to match the size of the problem.
Self-Talk: “I am starting to get upset. I need to move away
and take a break.”

GRUMP-GRUMPANINY:

Powers: Makes the person think the worst or feel like people are always unkind.
He may also see everything as negative or bad and doesn’t realize how
his negative emotion spreads and makes everyone feel unhappy.

Superflex Strategies: Self-Talk: “I am being negative. What could be a more
positive way to think about it?”

TOPIC TWISTER MEISTER:

Powers: This character gets the person to twist the topic around to what he
wants to talk about and goes off on tangents when talking to others.
This person may then go on and on about topics he wants to talk about,
not realizing that others may be bored or disinterested in what he is
talking about.

Superflex Strategies: Check-in with those around you. Does it look like they are
interested in what you are saying? If not, ask a question
about what they might want to talk about.
Turn off your “Me” button and try to think only about the
other person by asking him questions.

WASFUNNYONCE:

Powers: This person attempts to use a lot of humor to be funny. However, he
doesn’t realize that humor wears out pretty quickly or at times is not
“funny” at all. He doesn’t know the appropriate times for humor and
may get so silly that he makes the group fall apart.

Superflex Strategies: Self-Talk: “Is now a silly moment or a serious moment?”
If it is serious, then this is not a good time to crack a joke.
Use the one-time-rule: only say the word or joke once and
then move on so that the joke does not get boring.

ENERGY HARE-Y:

Powers: This character gives the person so much energy that he is constantly
fidgeting or moving around and doesn’t think about what the people
around him need or feel.

Superflex Strategies: When others are talking, use Whole Body Listening (keep
your whole body quiet).
Take a few deep breaths to calm your body.
Check in with your eyes and see how the rest of the group
is acting and try to match how calm the other kids are.

ONE-SIDED SID:

Powers: This character gets the person to talk about his own set of topics or his
own plan. He may interrupt to talk about what is on his mind, not seeing
that someone may have another plan.

Superflex Strategies: Think with your eyes to figure out what the person’s plan
is. If he looks busy, save your question for another time.
Look for clues that others are not interested: looking away,
bored look, trying to change the topic.
Think about what you know about the person and ask
questions to find out more about him and his interests.

WORRY WALL:

Powers: He makes the person worry or feel nervous so much about the people
around him or the social situations that he or she “hits a wall” and stops
being able to talk at all to the people nearby.

Superflex Strategies: Close your eyes and take a deep breath, and let it out
slowly. Continue to do this until your body feels relaxed.
Find a positive thought to change how you are feeling.

And last, but not least:

MEAN JEAN:

Powers: This person becomes just plain mean to other people. He or she insults
or criticizes others. He or she can be very bossy or hog all the attention
when others are trying to talk.

Superflex Strategies: Think about what you are going to say before you say it.
Self-Talk: “Will this hurt my friend’s feelings?”
Keep bragging, bossy or hurtful thoughts in our brains.