Children (and sometimes adults too!) can have a little difficulty with learning that, while they are adored and loved, the world does not always revolve around them.

How do you teach children compassion so that they will consider others’ feelings before they act on a whim? How do you get kids to think about the consequences of their actions, or to reflect on other people’s situations?

Amber Housey taught elementary and preschool for many years. In the classroom, she was wanted to help her young pupils understand ambitious concepts such as empathy.

A mom of three kids herself, Amber’s idea of sharing the “flip side” of things grew. Before too long, she had a collection of stories of everything, from writing letters to soldiers to being kind to animals.

Her first book in the Flip Side Stories® series, Just Because: Where Seeing Another Point of View Makes A Better You, has been met with a tremendous positive response, and here to share more about her experience is Amber herself.

Please welcome Amber to the Spotlight!

Helping Children Understand Empathy

MCA: Welcome to the Spotlight, Amber! Would you share with us where your drive for writing Just Because came from?

Amber: When I was teaching elementary school, I was always trying to find different ways to teach abstract concepts to my students. One way was writing stories or songs, so I wrote a story about a guest teacher in a classroom from two points of view called A Day Without Ms. Hatting.

I wanted to teach my students to understand what it is like to be a guest teacher in a classroom. First I wrote it from the point of view of a student. Then I wrote the same story from the point of view of the guest

teacher. My students responded really well to it. They were able to put themselves in the shoes of the guest teacher. I realized that this might be a great way to teach kids to see another point of view.

This was the beginning of Flip Side Stories®. My husband started a charity called Building Bridges years ago that supports Metro Detroit children and families in need. It was my work with the charity that inspired  Just Because. Now I carry that over into teaching children the value of helping those in need. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales supports Building Bridges.

MCA: It is a wonderful  to hear that you are able to reach out to children in two different ways with your book! So you had this excellent idea for a book, but where did you go from there? What was your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
Amber: Fear. Fear was my biggest challenge and lack of knowledge. I have written many stories and I carefully filed each of  them away.

Every so often, I would pull one out in an attempt to figure out how to get them published. Then the process of querying a publisher, finding an agent, and the thought of rejection would overwhelm me.

When a friend of mine, Michael Scott, wrote his first children’s book, King of Dilly Dally, he became my go-to resource for learning. I contacted him and asked if he would share his experience with me and show me how to get my books prepared for publishing. He graciously did just that. He actually thought my stories were good enough to send to his publisher so he connected me with Nelson Publishing and Marketing!

MCA: What kind of response have you had from those who are reading your book? It is what you had hoped for?
Amber: My book and my Flip Side Stories® is being received very well by children and adults alike. When I go into schools to speak, the children get excited about walking in someone else’s shoes and being a Flipsider.

A Flipsider is someone who sees other points of view, walks in someone else’s shoes, and has empathy and compassion for others.

I get letters from the children telling me that they cleaned out their rooms to donate to charity. Others have shared their Flip Side Stories with me. I remember the story of a 10-year-old girl whose struggling single mom was trying to raise her family and make ends meet. She told me her flip side was making the small things important, like the family being together.

When I speak to adults about looking at different points of view and walking in someone else’s shoes, the response is overwhelming. It’s a movement that our world is crying out for! At one presentation, a majority of the audience hugged me when it was over. I couldn’t believe it! I often have friends and family tell me that they say “look at the flip side” all the time now. I have a passion for sharing the Flip Side with the world.

MCA: That is wonderful that you are having such a warm response to your work, Amber! From these reactions, what do you consider your most important contribution in bringing your stories to families and educators?
Amber: My goal with Flip Side Stories® and my book is to teach children and the adults who love them how to have empathy and compassion for others. I want to inspire children to not only identify with their own emotions, but to be able to identify with those of others so they can proactively help those in need and control their own emotions. I hope to inspire a world of action-takers!

My books are a tool for parents and educators to use to teach their children and students the value of seeing another point of view. Just Because is written in rhyme because it is a fun way to read and fun for children to listen to. The whimsical illustrations make it fun to read along and to identify with the families in the story. My hope is that the rest of the series that I have written will become available to families someday soon.

MCA: If developing Just Because has changed your life in any way, please share with our readers. 
Amber: I have found that Flip Side has become a way of life for me and my family. It is common for someone in my family to use the phrase, “Look at the flip side” when one of us is upset or sad about something. I suppose you could say my family are the first official Flipsiders! We believe there is a flip side to every situation, good or bad.

Let me tell you a funny situation between my husband and I looking a flip side: We were driving on the highway, and there was a car that was driving fast and skipping lanes. I hollered some mild expletives. My husband looked at me and said, “Don’t flip em’ off. Look at the flip side.” and we both started laughing.It doesn’t mean that the behavior is okay, but it helps us control our own emotions if we try to see things in a different way.

We’ve all had a crabby waitress. Let’s look at the flip side. We don’t know what is going on in that waitress’ life. She may be struggling with her own demons. It doesn’t make it okay, but it helps us to understand her so that we can control our own emotions.

MCA: A good lesson for everyone to learn. Looking ahead six months to a year, what’s next for you?
Amber: This is the year that I would like to take my book and Flip Side Stories® to another level!

I will visit as many schools as I can. I will send manuscripts to publishers and agents. I want to see if there are other ways to get more exposure for my books. I am planning to refocus my website to be more interactive for kids to share their Flip Side moments. I have some book signings coming up in the near future, and a Flip Side flash mob is in the works for this summer at an event that I am already participating in. My main goal is to publish the rest of the Flip Side Stories® series. I would also like to change the format of the books to my original layout where the books actually flip over. Children and adults ask me when the next Flip Side Story is coming out and we have to give the readers what they want. Right?

MCA: Right, Amber! Thank you for sharing your story with us today, we can’t wait to see the rest of your series!

Mom’s Choice Awards® Honors

Just Because: Where Seeing Another Point of View Makes A Better You
by Amber Housey
Philanthropy
Gold

Contact, Connect, and Network with Amber

The Alumni Spotlight is a periodic feature on the official Mom’s Choice Awards® blog. It is part of our ongoing effort to “shine the spotlight” on you and your award-winning, family-friendly products, services, and media.