Musings for Moms - A Little Kindness goes a Long Way

Here we are again, smack day in the beginning of a new school year, okay - okay, we are a good month into the process and I am still trying to get the routine in order.

This year both boys are going to school all day - every school day.  The youngest just starting kindergarten.   The boys love their teachers and everything is going well so far... the biggest challenges this year packing a extra lunch for an extremely picky eater and making sure the right kid has his library books to return or gym clothes on (because they have these things on different days of the week).

The oldest really hasn't had any homework this year - which is great - one less thing to worry about at the end of the work/school day.  The youngest gets minimal homework - he is learning how to read, so... there is expected review.

This school year also brought a lot of reconfiguration to our school district... before the boys would have been in the same school - now they are in different ones... and while I am not as familiar with the one school yet (I am working on it) they are both great school. 

Both schools have this message posted where all students can see... It really makes me sad that kids can be so cruel to others for being different... And it's not just the kids - there are parents who are just as cruel...

In elementary school - I went to a catholic school... I switched to a public school in seventh grade.  I was a shy kid that new hardly anyone... there was a handful of kids I knew from my catholic school - but I wasn't in their classes... I made friends, some of which I still talk to this day.

High school came around and I came into my own... got contacts, died my hair eggplant - listened to The Cure, The Chili Peppers, and The Jesus and Mary Chain... wore big, baggy clothes... I wasn't an athlete, nor did I play an instrument... I was just me...

No one treated me like I was different though.  No one treated me without kindness... and I treated everyone with respect, well... until they didn't deserve that respect any longer... but I wasn't mean... there was this guidance concealer I had an issue with because he didn't want to give me a study hall because I would have had two... I had all other required classes taken - and I didn't want to take Home Ec.  He basically told me that since I was a girl...

I digress,  I try to make sure my kids know to be nice and respectful in school.  Not to bully other kids and for the youngest - not to flip the finger to anyone - When they are playing soccer - to try their best - they might come across players that are better than them (or you know should be in a different division but their coach likes to stack his numbers with wins)... they might come across players that are worse than them...

I want them to be the nice kid, to be helpful and respectful - but... BUT I don't want them to walked over and I think they both know the difference... when they are being helpful vs when they are being taken advantage of.

There might be a kid out there that is struggling with life, but your kid might be the one that is nice and helps the struggling one... who knows what a little kindness can do.