As I look through my life and literature, one book always stands out. It has been my favorite book as long as I can remember. Not necessarily because of content, but more because of the lesson. Let me give you some background of my life. It's always been my opinion that I stopped growing in middle school....a very petite 4'11 girl, and there I stayed. I was the smallest one in middle school and high school (and when I say the smallest, I mean in THE WHOLE SCHOOL). Obviously height was a major issue for me. As far as I was concerned you weren't anything, unless you were tall.One book stopped my way of thinking..."Horton Hears a Who" by Dr. Seuss. My mom bought this book for me (after trying to convince me that being "me" was ok). We read "Horton Hears a Who" and one statement stuck out; "...a persons a person no matter how small". This comment stuck with me through the years, and even when my sense of humor could not make me feel better, this statement would bring a smile to my face. As a mom of 3 girls, and 1 boy (who prays that he doesn't take after his mom) I have this book, which I refer to often. However, just like I did as a child, I paid no attention and they look at me like I do not know what I'm talking about. I'm hoping that this book will strike a cord with them as it did me.As I go through life I find myself getting frustrated at adults, rather than children. The rules that adults live by contradict the rules they set for their children. So, the child's "saying" (or rather poem) I love is:
All I Really Need
To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
By Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really
need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sand pile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sand pile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder
Not only are these rules specific but they are simplistic. There is no gray area, it's something that everyone can stand by and follow. I love this poem, it makes you think....maybe it's not us who teach children, maybe it's children who teach us.
