If every child returning to school could learn just one thing, I hope they'd learn to be kind. Kind to fellow students, teachers, parents, siblings, neighbours, strangers and kind to themselves. If you aren't kind, what does it matter if you've got great marks? Why can't this new school year be the beginning of the end of bullying? Wouldn't it be wonderful if no child were ever bullied again?
I'd much rather my child learned kindness than math...okay, so I never liked math! Still, I hope every teacher will find those teachable moments to talk about kindness and be that one teacher every student remembers because she, or he, was the one that taught them to be kind. Don't make fun of the kid that's poor, shy, disabled or different. Invite them to play with you at recess, invite them to your birthday parties.
Me in Grade One, St. Boniface, Scarborough. I never went to kindergarten, but that's another story!
Speaking of kindness, remember that pile of books I'd planned to read this summer? Well, sad to say so far I've only read seven of them. Today I'll start reading number eight on the list, The Power of Kindness, Why Empathy Is Essential in Everyday Life. This book by Brian Goldman, MD, was a gift to my husband by our amazingly kind son, John...or John-Boy, as I still call him. Inside the book John wrote, "To the kindest man I know." I'll keep you posted.
As for the others on the list, I thoroughly enjoyed Robin by Dave Itzkoff (but it's a long read) also a gift from John-Boy, The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O'Neill (such a unique, edgy voice) and Game Change by Ken Dryden (a fascinating read). The book I enjoyed the most, though, wasn't even on my list! My friend and fellow writer, Lucy, suggested three weeks ago that I'd enjoy the book she was reading, Forgiveness, A Gift from My Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto. Intrigued, I saw it in a lovely little book shop in Thornbury and knew I had to buy it. I couldn't put it down. This book, a memoir, is the 2018 Canada Reads winner and a national bestseller, all with great reason. I was very happy to read in Sakamoto's acknowledgments a thank you to a gifted editor, Allyson Latta. Last year I attended Allyson's writing retreat in Italy. She is indeed a meticulous editor and a kind person.
I'd much rather my child learned kindness than math...okay, so I never liked math! Still, I hope every teacher will find those teachable moments to talk about kindness and be that one teacher every student remembers because she, or he, was the one that taught them to be kind. Don't make fun of the kid that's poor, shy, disabled or different. Invite them to play with you at recess, invite them to your birthday parties.
Me in Grade One, St. Boniface, Scarborough. I never went to kindergarten, but that's another story!
Speaking of kindness, remember that pile of books I'd planned to read this summer? Well, sad to say so far I've only read seven of them. Today I'll start reading number eight on the list, The Power of Kindness, Why Empathy Is Essential in Everyday Life. This book by Brian Goldman, MD, was a gift to my husband by our amazingly kind son, John...or John-Boy, as I still call him. Inside the book John wrote, "To the kindest man I know." I'll keep you posted.
As for the others on the list, I thoroughly enjoyed Robin by Dave Itzkoff (but it's a long read) also a gift from John-Boy, The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O'Neill (such a unique, edgy voice) and Game Change by Ken Dryden (a fascinating read). The book I enjoyed the most, though, wasn't even on my list! My friend and fellow writer, Lucy, suggested three weeks ago that I'd enjoy the book she was reading, Forgiveness, A Gift from My Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto. Intrigued, I saw it in a lovely little book shop in Thornbury and knew I had to buy it. I couldn't put it down. This book, a memoir, is the 2018 Canada Reads winner and a national bestseller, all with great reason. I was very happy to read in Sakamoto's acknowledgments a thank you to a gifted editor, Allyson Latta. Last year I attended Allyson's writing retreat in Italy. She is indeed a meticulous editor and a kind person.
I love this picture. It's from a postcard I picked up years ago at Word On The Street for Retreat by Random House Publishing.
Oh, Nancy. . what a thoughtful and important message. Thank you for the reminder that kindness makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan. We need kindness now more than ever.
ReplyDelete