April Fools Day SLP Fun

Everyone knows I like to play games and just have fun, so I decided I wanted to do a little April Fool's Day Fun. Of course, there will be a little twist to it! It wouldn't be one of my games if it didn't, now would it?

Instead of it being an April Fools Day trick, it is an April Fools Day treat!

Here's how we're going to play:

1. Go to my TpT store.  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Dean-Trout  on April 1, 2013.

2. Look through my games (Hint: freebies will not be used in this game) and find the ones that are marked with the "April Fools Day" picture.

3. There will be 5 hidden April Fool images, but each contestant will only be allowed to enter one of them.  I want 5 different winners :)

4. When you find one email me at fishy1981@gmail.com  and tell me what game you found and include your email address.  The 6th person to email me with the correct information for one of the games will win that game.

5.  If you are the 6th person and the winner of that particular game, I will send that game to you via email as a pdf.

Remember you can only win one game......but 5 are up for grabs...so look at all of them and make your choice!

I will post the winners in a follow up blog.

My apologies to those of you who will not read this in time to participate but that's why you should always follow & read my blogs....you just never know what I'm up to!  ;)

The Dangers of Comparison

As many of you know, I am a retired speech therapist with 35 years of experience, but you may not know I also hold a diploma in Interior Design. That is why I follow decorating blogs in addition to speech bloggers  One of my favorite bloggers of quick and inexpensive decorating ideas is "Debbie" over at Debbiedoo's.  One of her recent posts really struck a cord with me as a Speech Therapist.  She wrote about not letting comparison steal our JOY.  I knew I had to blog about it because it applies to all of us regardless of our professions.

Debbie's words of, "Don't let comparisons steal your JOY" are very powerful.  Do you compare yourself to other SLPs?  Your therapy? Your Blog? The TpT materials you create? The apps you author? Your knowledge? (Yea, I wanted to emphasize that one.)  It is so easy to do as we interact on Twitter, Facebook, etc. We talk to so many people who are doing such amazing things and then we start comparing. Even with all my years of experience and my accomplishments, I can start feeling very inferior when I interact with all you SLPs out there.  I have to guard against it because it leaves me feeling like I know nothing and what little I do know is so outdated!  I have thought about just gracefully bowing out and fully retiring many many times.  Debbie's blog was the attitude adjustment I needed.

Debbie's blog prompted me to ask some important questions regarding why I blog and why I am creating Speech materials for TpT.  So I asked myself:

• Do you love what you are doing?
• Do you love to share?
• Do you want to help other younger SLPs learn the tricks of the trade you aren't taught in college?
• Do you want to help make their day just a little easier?

Since I answered YES to those questions I decided I'll keep on doing what I'm doing because it brings me JOY.  I also decided that I need to stop comparing myself to all of you who are better in your skills, or have more followers, or sell more products. My JOY doesn't come from accolades, or recognition, but from my own personal self gratification of helping others.

Beyond all that my greatest JOY has been the friendships I have made through Perkilou (yahoo groups), Facebook, and Twitter.  Especially those SLPeeps who love me as your SLPmother!

Perhaps you are feeling a little discouraged in your work, your placement or with your blog or the sales of your apps/materials, if so then ask yourself these simple questions and stop comparing yourself with others.  Don't let comparison steal your joy!

Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing

Debbie offers this free 8x11 printable on her blog. HERE Please go there to download it today.  You might just want to follow her blog, too!