From teachers parents and children

About the JOY CD:

Kids

• Hi Jacqueline,
My name is Ranin and I am 10 years old. I live in Kununurra at the top of Western Australia, approximately 4000km north of Perth. I live with my mum (Caroline) my dad (roch). I have a brother called Leycester (deceased in 1999), a sister called Rachel, who is engaged to Ben (my brother-in-law) and is having a baby. I have lived in Kununurra for 4 years. We used to live in Halls Creek.

It was 5 years ago on a Sunday when my brother died at the ord river crossing. I was in the car accident. I received scratches all over my body as I was thrown from the car. I was really upset about my brother after I knew about him. I miss Leycester because we used to make potions in the shower, Leycester and I used to sleep in the same room.

I don't like what happened to him. Now I am afraid of Mummy and Daddy dying. I like sleeping with Mum and Dad as I am close to them. I know that this is not good for Mum and Dad as well as me because we do not get a good sleep. I don't sleep at other peoples homes as I think Mum and Dad wouldn't cope if something happened to me.

One day Mum came home from getting her nails done when I noticed she had a CD on the bench. I picked it up and read what was on the back of the CD. I asked Mum lots of questions about the CD and it sounded like it was a relaxing CD. Mum talked to me and said that it would help me sleep. I felt excited about it as I was trying something new to help me with my sleeping problems. Mum said that I could go and get the CD player out of the office and put it in my room. Mum said to do what the lady on the CD said to do. I couldn't wait to go to bed. I slept in my own bed the whole night. I felt proud of myself. I felt happy because I had a good sleep. Mum gave me some extra pocket money as a reward. I kept hounding Mum to ring the lady to get the CD. I came home from school one day and Mum said that she had rung you up and was getting an email from you. The next day I went into Mum's emails to see if you had replied and you had.I was very excited about the email and checked out what you had sent.
I have listened to the CD for over a week. I like the lady's voice because it is very comforting and warm. It sounds like the lady knows me personally and is being friendly. Before the CD I used to have bad dreams and now I just think I am floating and sometimes being in an aeroplane. it is more comfortable in my own bed instead of being squashed in my Mum and Dad's bed. I am enjoying sleeping in my own bed as this has been possible by your CD.

Thank you for when the CD gets here. I hope your day tomorrow is very good. bye from Ranin.

Mums

• Dear Jacqueline
Thank you so much for such a wonderful product. I have in the past struggled at bedtime as my children don’t relax and go to sleep quickly, in fact my eldest will often be awake after 9pm. This was a problem as Jordan found it difficult to wake up for school and complained that she was tired during the day.

Since using the Joy CD I have noticed that both of my children actually lay in bed and listen to the meditations and more often than not are asleep by the end of the CD. This has had a two-fold effect. Firstly my children get to sleep at a realistic time and secondly they are more relaxed and well rested in the morning. I would recommend this as a must have product for parents whose children are hard to settle.

Yours sincerely,
Amanda Kirby

"Making Rainbows"-
positive thoughts daily focus cards

Principals

As Principal of Mundijong Primary School, 2005, I was informed that parents were concerned with "bullying" issues at the school, and it was therefore my goal to create a safe and happy school environment.
A values based policy was introduced and during the draft of this policy, the mention of a “Making Rainbows Program” was brought to my attention by one of the class teachers, who had successfully used this program for several years in her class. Following an inservice by Jacqueline Kukulj, the staff agreed to introduce this program to the school and their classes.

The Rainbows cards were initially introduced to the whole school with a card read out each day over the PA in the morning as our affirmation for the day. The class teachers then promoted this affirmation in their classes.
This then led to teachers also selecting a card for their class, along with the whole school card. By the end of the year, the students were writing their own affirmations, and designing their own cards, which were able to be included in the whole school PA reading each day.

The Program was extremely successful, with positive comments made by parents and visitors to the school about the ethos and positive feelings at the school, from both staff and students. Behaviour problems lessened to a point where the lunch time Detention room was no longer used.

The cards are bright and happy, the messages relevant to students and linked to the Values Wheel introduced as part of the behaviour management policy. The posters and CD which accompany the cards contribute to a whole school program.

It is a fantastic way to create and follow a common message across the school, and I would recommend this program to all schools because of its positive messages and student involvement.

Stephanne Dann, Mundijong Primary School, 2005

Teachers

• As a classroom teacher, I feel that learning is easier for children if they are in a happy and co-operative environment.
The “Making Rainbows” cards have become my tool for helping children to interact successfully with others and feel confident about themselves.
The children look forward to choosing cards to begin each day and find it easy to remember the phrases, often reminding each other of the messages.
The cards, with the colourful artwork and valuable messages, are making it easy for us to focus on this important aspect of education in our classroom.
As a teacher of 25 years, I would recommend the use of these ‘positive thinking’ cards as being an integral part of today’s classroom.

Shirley Kukulj
Mundijong Primary School
Western Australia

• Dear Jacqueline, My class of 5-6 year olds can’t wait for our daily “Making Rainbows” card – they eagerly anticipate the message of the day and love discussing its meaning and relevance to their lives. They continually surprise me with their deep comments and are very affected by the positive messages. The “Making Rainbows” cards have really touched our souls and we hope that they touch your soul too.”

Tammy Gerschman
Primary School Teacher
Victoria

• I teach a class of 7, 8 and 9 year old children. We start each day with a ‘making Rainbows” card. The children are filled with genuine excitement and anticipation at the start of each day. They enter each affirmation into their Rainbow Books and decorate each page with care. Since we started using the Making Rainbows cards, I have noticed that the children have a greater awareness of positive thoughts and acts. They now look for the good in others, and in themselves, and are willing to acknowledge it. Our classroom is decorated with colourful rainbows and butterflies. It is a joyful experience for all concerned. For some children this is a new way of seeing the world.

Stephanie Prosser
Year 3/4 Byford Primary School, WA

• Jacqueline,
“When we speak positive and happy thoughts…we send happiness and rainbows around the world…”…and who doesn’t love rainbows??!!
I am the teacher of 15 children aged 4 – 8yrs in a small country town (not known by many) as Yuna. My children are angels…well, most of the time!! Together we are discovering the magic of ‘Making Rainbows’.
At the start of each school day my class are busting to see which card will be drawn from my special ‘Making Rainbows’ tin. If I forget, or even stall just a little…the class are on to me in an instant!! ‘Miss Healy… the rainbow card!!’

It isn’t just the words on the cards that intrigue them…and it isn’t just them who are intrigued…myself and my assistant get just as excited!! We all love to see what type of card is drawn out (star, Heart, Moon, Sun, Butterfly), we are yet to draw the “Magic” card, which adds greatly to the excitement.

The children have been taking turns to draw out our daily card. I hold the pack out for them and they very carefully select and remove the card. The card is read out, either by myself or by the child, and placed on the whiteboard. We have been leaving the cards up on the whiteboard so that we can refer to them daily. The children love to sort the cards into their special groups and count them. We recite all of the affirmations after each new card is drawn. The new card is discussed in detail so that we all understand it’s positive message.

Your aim is to help make rainbows…you are succeeding. The affirmations that we have lined up along my whiteboard are helping to build an overall positive environment within my classroom, within the school and within the children. I am yet to discover what the tin still holds, for I want to experience each card for the first time along with my class!! And what will happen when the tin is empty?? We will start the adventure all over again!!

I would list down some of my favourite affirmations…but I can’t choose!! The cards aren’t just a morning routine but whole day rainbows!!
Thankyou for this fantastic resource!!
We wish you lots of rainbows!!

Gemma, Healy, Jordan, Caroline, Kacie, Anthony, Andrew, Ryan, Christopher, Georgia, Kate, Clinton, Sam, Kodi, Mikayla, Bailey and Dylan.

Mums

• Dear Jacqueline,
I am writing you to let you know that your “Making Rainbows” cards have been a blessing to me and my children. I have a son and daughter who over the past 2½ years have struggled with the divorce of their father and I, and experience very erratic contact with their dad. It has affected their behaviour both at home and school. My children who are both bright, had trouble with their schoolwork, friendships and with each other at home. Sometimes it felt like a war zone. I tried to implement some rules and rewards to encourage them, but was getting nowhere. For the past 2 months after buying your cards, I got them to choose one every morning (and me too), and sent them to school with only one expectation (no more rules or rewards) - that they are able to remember a situation in their day where the advise on the card helped, and we would talk about it over dinner. After about a week they would come home telling me several situations where their message for the day helped them, and now after 2 months they are completely different children. Both sort out their arguments with each other without my intervention, they are coping with missing their dad better than before, both have received awards and certificates at school with their teachers taking the time to speak to me about their improved behaviour, and both have had more positive friendships. Because of this marked improvement in the quality of our lives since beginning to use your cards, I wanted to let you know how much of an incredibly positive impact they have had on our family. Thankyou!

Kind Regards,
Sharon Newall

• I am a mother of three daughters and have been using the “Making Rainbows” cards for about six months. We use them at the beginning of each day which helps them start the day in a positive way.
We also use them when the girls are looking for some direction, we say, ”let’s see what the rainbow cards tell us.” We can always find a relevant meaning in all the cards.
I have no doubt that the cards have had a positive effect on the way that the girls think about themselves and others. I am sure that every family would find them very useful.
Charlene Hunter
Western Australia

• The “Making Rainbows” cards have helped develop Mitchell’s self-belief and given him an aid to building positive outlooks.
The Spring Family
Secret Harbour
Western Australia

Kids

• Dear Friends,
We have used the “Making Rainbows” cards on a regular basis for a long period of time – as a result our home is filled with rainbows every day!
Using the cards invariably leads to some truly magical conversation and inspirational bursts of creative ‘thinking and doing’, moments treasured by us all.
We have found the “making Rainbows” cards helpful when we are feeling happy, sad, confused, cross etc. – using the cards enables us to share our thoughts and feelings even when it seems difficult to do so.
As a home educating family, we consider the “Making Rainbows Collection” an invaluable tool – offering much opportunity for learning and growing in all areas of our development (whether we are 7 or 70 years of age.)
Our family thoroughly enjoys ‘making rainbows’ together – we experience a beautiful piece of gold every time we do.
Our children and some of their special friends asked to be a part of this letter, these are their thoughts about the “Making Rainbows” cards:

• Jordon – aged 8 years
  “They make my heart feel light.”
• Harrison – aged 6 years
  “Rainbow cards make me feel happy, they help me to help others and to be kind.”
• Joshua – aged 7 years
  I think it makes me feel good and I am going to keep it for the rest of my life – or until I come to stay again anyway.”
• Alexander – aged 10 years
  “Rainbow cards make you feel good inside and good about yourself.”
• Bethany – aged 6 years
  “I feel happy when I see them and they make me feel good.”
  

What more can we say!!!
Thankyou for taking the time to read our testimonial letter – it has been written with genuine consideration of the worth of such a lovely product.

Yours faithfully,
Tracey Steele-John
With much help from Marcus, Jordon, Harrison,
Alexander, Joshua and Bethany.
Baldivis, Western Australia
Ph: 08 9524 1573

• Dear Jacqueline,
I like the rainbow cards because it makes us care more.
- Alannah

I like the rainbow cards because they make me feel joyful and make me fee happy. Sometimes it makes me get up and dance they are very nice.
- Caitlin

I like your rainbow cards because they lower my anger and higher my kindness.
- Alex

I like the rainbow cards because they make people care much more than before we did them.
- Mitchell

Everyday I feel good because they are colourful and it make you feel happy. Thankyou for making the cards.
- Samantha

When we are ready we choose a rainbow card and I like what they say.
- Leon

The children at Byford Primary School WA