Ritual
- Facilitator's language should encourage, inspire, and animate the participants as well as convey a sense of warmth and welcome for each member of the group.
- Each member is greeted individually by name and introduced to the others present. Each member is made comfortable and an important part of the group.
- Initial conversation centers of the breakfast theme. For example, what kinds of fruit juice do you like for breakfast? Do you prefer muffins or toast?
- Conversation is encouraged with positive feedback and reinforcement. The tone and content of the conversation is adult at all times.
- Errors in conversations are not corrected and no particular response is expected.
- Conversation moves to food preparation. Ask the group to choose foods for our breakfast in a concrete manner: "Do you want pancakes?" instead of "What shall we make for breakfast?" Guide the conversation to a discussion of different ways of cooking or preparing pancakes, prompting and facilitating lots of conversation about past and present experiences and preferences.
- Choices are limited to avoid sensory overload and confusion. Only those items that can be prepared by the residents are attempted. Over time, selections can be expanded as residents become accustomed to making breakfast.
- Simple directions are used, with step-by-step breakdown into individual steps. Crack the egg into the bowl, pick up the spoon, beat the egg, and so forth.
- As the group becomes accustomed to the ritual of making breakfast together, their skills improve. Residents are able to focus on the tasks, follow directions better, and perform tasks in sequence. However, things do not always go smoothly. Expect some mishaps, as you would in your own kitchen.
- Mealtime conversation sometimes promotes understanding and insight among the members. The facilitator's language strategy, as well as the comfortable and familiar setting, allows participants to relax, and at times laugh at themselves.
- The facilitator maintains structure through each session from beginning to end.
- The facilitators thank each member for coming and helping to make it "such a nice time". Each person is told how "we all look forward to seeing you next week at our Breakfast Club."
