Session 1 - Group Activity, Role Playing

The last activity before breaking for prayer was to do some role-playing and practise some of the lessons learned in this session. I set two chairs angled toward each other in front of the group where all could see. I asked for volunteers and got several. But, then, I just selected certain women who I knew would have interesting characters to act out. I gave them each a story to portray that I'd previously scripted out. Here's a copy of the scripts if you'd like to use it: Manage your Mouth, Role Playing.

Jackie and Ann came up and portrayed two friends chatting about their day. Jackie's role was to be a complainer and Ann's job was to change the subject without offending Jackie because she was in a hurry. Jackie made up a good story about how the kids were bad, she stuck at a railroad crossing, was late for work, and on and on and on. Ann's first tactic was to say she needed to use the bathroom. In some cases, this will work and the topic automatically changes when you get back. However, since Jackie was assigned to complain, she started right back in where she left off. That was rather humorous since then Ann had to come up with another way to. It was a good effort by both.

Monica and her sister Karen came in front of the group. Monica's job was to complain about the out-patient procedure she had on her big toe. She did a great job at this and got into some real gushy details that made all the women remember their own experience at an out-patient appointment. Karen was to be a good listener but then to make every attempt to tell her own story about her root canal at the dentist. Karen interjected several really good sentences like "Oh, that sounds terrible. Let me tell you about . . . ." Monica, not to be dissuaded from telling her own story, talked right over Karen and kept on about the swelling appendage. What a great example (Monica is the older sister after all). Karen tried twice more by empathizing with Monica and then changing the subject and was a great example on how to move the conversation along. Kare was working to be sensitive to Monica and you could tell that was real empathy in her voice. She also took the tact to be factual rather than emphatic in her replies, also a very good way to diffuse a talker. It was quite funny to watch these sisters interact but they did such a good job that we thought for sure their relationship was a solid one even outside of the role-laying.