Introduction:

Intro Music Tasha – Welcome to the Little Shot Podcast where big dreams begin with little shots like you. I’m your host, Tasha Eizinger, author of The Little Shot picture book series, and I will be interviewing the main characters in The Little Shot books. They are all excited to share their stories with you, my friend! I have loved doing these interviews because you will get to hear some of the back stories that couldn’t be shared in the books.

This is the place where we talk about big dreams, character values, and what it takes to shine bright in this world. Whether you’re a kid or a caregiver, this podcast is for you. So, bring us along on your car ride, snuggle up with your favorite blanket, or get comfy in your classroom as we dive in to today’s episode.

SOUND Tasha – This episode is brought to you by… SOUND

Tasha – Today’s episode is based on the second book in The Little Shot series called The Little Shot: Humility. Humility is staying grounded by remembering what it took to become successful. To learn more about living with humility, we have a special guest who knows our friend Little Shot the best. She’s loving, wise, and full of encouragement. Please welcome… Little Shot’s Mom!

Little Shot’s Mom – Hello! It’s so good to be back and to share about humility with Little Shot’s sweet friends.

Tasha – Thank you for being here again! I have to admit I was a bit surprised with Little Shot in the 2nd book.

Little Shot’s Mom – Yeah, I was concerned after she became a Big Shot, also known as a shooting sar. These things can happen sometimes.

Tasha – What do you mean, these things?

Little Shot’s Mom – Sometimes when someone achieves something great like Little Shot did the accomplishment can go to their head instead of their heart.

Tasha – Oh yeah, I have seen that before.

• SOUND Tasha interactive – Hey, friends, that’s you… the one listening to this podcast. Have you ever seen someone score the winning goal? Did they act excited which is great, or did they act like they were the only reason the team won which is not great? How about when someone wins an award. It’s wonderful to smile and be happy, but it’s not wonderful to make others feel bad because they didn’t get the award. Joy, gratitude, and feeling good about ourselves comes from our heart, but thinking we are better than others or putting others down is “letting success get to your head.” This is what Little Shot’s mom is referring to. * SOUND

Tasha –  So, Mom, were there specific things that made you concerned?

Little Shot’s Mom – In our home, we speak with love and respect. We aren’t perfect at it, but that is a key foundation in our home. Little Shot was straying from that. I also noticed she was around different friends who weren’t making the best choices. Even though Little Shot had become a Big Shot, she didn’t seem happy. It concerned me.

Tasha – I would be concerned, too, because who you are describing doesn’t’ sound like the Little Shot Shot we know.

Little Shot’s Mom – As her mom, I wanted to love her and guide her through this, but she felt like I couldn’t understand.

Tasha – Hmmmm… I find it hard to believe you wouldn’t understand.

Little Shot’s Mom – Sometimes kids forget their parents were once kids, too. I may not be a Big Shot, but I do know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, to be unsure how to get back on track, to experience friendship difficulties, and to let compliments go to my head.

Tasha – You bring up a good point. We don’t have to experience the same exact thing to understand someone’s feelings.

• SOUND Tasha interactive – Hey friends, did you know the adults around you were once kids? I know, it’s hard to believe sometimes. Sure, the world looks different now, but many of the same challenges you experience, aside from technology,are similar to what the adults around you experienced as a kid. You can share what’s going on with a safe adult and learn from them. They might be able to help you in your situation.* SOUND

Tasha –  Mom, Little SHot visited with your mom which is her grandma, how do you feel about that?

Little Shot’s Mom – I’m thankful Little Shot has multiple, safe adults she can learn from. It doesn’t always have to be me, even though I’m always here for her if she does need me. My mom, Little Shot’s grandma, is incredible at listening and giving great advice. Even as an adult, I’m still learning from her!

Tasha – I can believe that! What is something that she taught Little Shot?

Little Shot’s Mom – She taught her about humility. 

Tasha – Humility. That’s a big word! What does humility mean to you?

Little Shot’s Mom – Humility is staying grounded by remembering what it took to become successful. It means you remember why you’re doing what you’re doing, all of your hard work, and you understand your success didn’t happen only because of you… others helped you get here.

Tasha – That is great advice and is probably easier said than done. 

• SOUND Tasha interactive –  Hey, friends! How do you practice humility? Is it by thanking someone for helping you? Is it by encouraging a teammate? Is it by feeling grateful? Humility is a beautiful feeling when it’s lived well! * SOUND

Tasha – Mom, it doesn’t say anything in the book about this, but can you share what happened after she left her grandma’s house?

Little Shot’s Mom – She came home and shared about their conversation. I could tell Little Shot felt more like herself again.

Tasha – Her grandma gave her great advice! I interviewed her about it. It’s the Grandma episode in season 2.

Little Shot’s Mom – I am looking forward to listening to that episode!

Tasha – You’ll love it! What are some things you mom said and did to help Little Shot?

Little Shot’s Mom – My mom is the best listener, so she listened to Little SHot, she hummed their favorite song, had her practice deep breathing, and held Little Shot while she cried. All of this helped Little Shot work through her overwhelming feelings. Even though Little SHot knows I’m here for her, it makes me happy she has a grandma loving her, too.

• SOUND Tasha interactive –  Hey friends, what helps you when you feel overwhelmed? Maybe it’s something that Little Shot’s grandma did to help her, or maybe it’s something else like: going for a walk, journaling, daydreaming, playing with a friend, or dancing around while singing. It’s important to find ways to help you when you have overwhelming feelings.* SOUND

Tasha – Mom, thank you for sharing a sneak peak of the podcast episode so Little Shot’s friends don’t have to wait for those useful tips! What happened after she told you about her time with her grandma?

Little Shot’s Mom – She apologized to me. I could tell how badly she felt for her behavior. Of course I accepted her apology. It makes me happy she is feeling better!

Tasha – That sounds like Little Shot to apologize and want to make things right! I’m glad she’s feeling better, too. You mentioned her friends. Does she still have the friends who weren’t making very good choices?

Little Shot’s Mom – She’s kind to them, but those friends are more like acquaintances. 

Tasha – What do you mean by that?

Little Shot’s Mom – She talks to them from time to time, but they aren’t spending extra time together. I want Little Shot to be kind to everyone, and I want her to learn how to choose her friends wisely.

Tasha – That makes sense!

Little Shot’s Mom –  The friends Little Shot makes will impact who she becomes. I also want to make sure Little Shot is the kind of friend other stars want to be friends with… not because she’s a Big Shot, but because of who she is.

Tasha – How does she know the difference between friends who are only her friends because she’s a Big Shot and friends who care about her for who she is?

Little Shot’s Mom –  This is a tricky one. Sometimes I have even gotten it wrong as an adult! But, Little Shot has learned the stars who only talk about her being a Big Shot or who tell everyone they are friends with Little Shot to make themselves look important are the ones she is more cautious around. 

Tasha – They seem to only care about the fact that she’s a Big Shot.

Little Shot’s Mom –  Exactly. The stars who are only by her side whether she is soaring through the sky or not are more genuine. They ask how she’s doing and listen because they care about her. Little Shot is usually happier, more relaxed, and having more fun around the stars who are her genuine friends.

• SOUND Tasha interactive –  Hey, friends! Do you know someone that everyone wants to be friends with because they are cool or have the best toys? It can be tempting to be friends with someone like that. Learn who that person is as a person. What are their interests? What is their personality? Every person matters, but that doesn’t mean we are menat to be good friends with everyone. We definitely shouldn’t be friends with someone just because they are cool or have cool things.* SOUND

Tasha – Mom, you have shared so many powerful insights today. There is something Little Shot has inspired you to do. What is it?

Little Shot’s Mom – It’s writing in my Big Shot journal! I hope our friends are adding to their Big Shot journal after our episodes so they can see what they are learning. Little Shot writes down 5 key things she learns in each book. In book 2, it’s about living with humility. 

Tasha – Yes, Little Shot’s journal is at the back of each book. If our friends listening don’t have a book, that’s okay. They can get the journal page at www.thelittleshot.com/kids to print it off and color it.

Little Shot’s Mom – They can also create their own page with a blank piece of paper and whatever they want to write with.  There will be journal ideas at the end of this episode.

Tasha – Great idea! I’m sure our friends are creative. Thank you so much for being here today, Little Shot’s Mom! I am certain you have inspired whoever is listening wherever they are.

Little Shot’s Mom – Thank you for having me! I have loved chatting with you and Little Shot’s friends!

Tasha – I enjoyed learning from you today, Little Shot’s Mom, thank you, again, for being here.  

Closing:

Tasha –

SOUND And thank you, friends, for joining us today! Remember, every Big Shot started out as a Little Shot. Keep believing, keep practicing, and keep shining your light. Stay tuned after the brief ad to get your Big Shot journal questions and to hear tips for caregivers. 

SOUND Tasha – This episode is brought to you by…SOUND

Did you know at the back of every Little Shot book there is a Big Shot journal page? It’s a coloring page for the copy you have at home. Please don’t color the one at your local library! If you can’t write down the Journal questions right now, you can access them at thelittleshot.com/kids. If you’re not able to write answers, that’s okay! Draw a picture instead.

What is one thing you learned today that you want to try this week? You could journal about one or all 3 of these things: 

1. How do you want to live with humility?  Is it thanking people who have helped you get where you are today? Is it by being more grateful? Is it reflecting on how you have gotten where you are today?
2. Who is someone you can ask for guidance when life is challenging? Make sure it’s a safe, trusted adult. If you don’t have someone, I hope you know this podcast and the free resources at thelittleshot.com/kids can be part of that support for you!
3. Who are your friends, and why are they your friends? It’s important to have a variety of friends instead of people who are just like us, and it’s important to have some common interests and common values.

You can answer 1 or all of 3 of those in your journal by writing about it or drawing a picture. Don’t want to put it on paper? You can talk about it with someone you trust. Every small step takes you closer to becoming a Big Shot!

SOUND Tasha – Hey, caregivers! Here are 2 quick thoughts for you whether you are a parent, grandparent, or educator: 

Number 1: It takes a village to raise a child! Some people don’t have family or friends close by. Hopefully, your child or children have great teachers or coaches who can be another adult pouring into them. The more adults speaking life into your child and guiding them, especially if it’s in alignment with your values, the better. Life is challenging, and we shouldn’t have to do it alone. My hope is that this podcast provides a way for me to be a small part of your child’s village.

Number 2: Gratitude is key in maintaining humility and simply feeling and living better. You could do a family challenge of intentionally thanking at least one person every day. Share about your experiences at dinner time or even bed time. Kids love stalling for bedtime so this could be a great motivator for them to take action and share all about it!

SOUND Tasha – This episode is brought to you by… SOUND

Tasha – Thank you for listening to today’s episode! To access more free resources, please go to thelittleshot.com/kids. If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend, family member, teacher, or someone who needs some hope. 

Until next time, I’m Tasha Eizinger, author of The Little Shot series, keep your chin up, your heart open, and your dreams soaring. 3… 2… 1… WISHHHH   Outro Music