Back to School

Today was back to normal for most of us.  School started again after a long, relaxing 12 day break.  It was nice to be home and not on any schedule, but it is always nice to get back and see “my kids” and the people I work with.  I was greeted with huge smiles and hugs and our day got off to a great start.  One of the lessons I had planned today was a writing activity.  I gave them a writing prompt that said, “In 2014 I want to…”

I expected answers like, “learn how to add” or “have more outdoor recess.”  Those have been answers I have gotten in the past.  Although I got a lot of the typical fun answers, several of the children  surprised and impressed me today when I heard them,.  One of them told me that they wanted “to give food to people who did not have any of their own.”  Another said that they were going to “help poor people.”  Still another told me that she was going to “give toys to kids who did not have their own.”

It warmed my heart.  I really try to instill how important it is to help others and that is one of the reasons that I hold pajama drives and food drives at school.  It is my hope that kids really do appreciate all that they are fortunate enough to have and realize that there are a lot of children who aren’t as lucky as they are.  I know that those values are taught at home as well, but seeing them actually act upon them today in their writing, made me feel like I am helping to mold them into generous, empathetic human beings!

Tagged: back to school, goals for 2014, kids new years resolutions, raising empathetic children, what counts most