#DWHabit - Word of the Day - Kind

We tell our kids from the time they are little to be kind.  We talk to our students about acts of kindness. Then we turn around and let someone upset us and the first thing that pops into our head is how to get even with them.  What happened to the words "Be kind"?  I've been thinking about this all week as we, my students and I, have delved into Romeo and Juliet.  Students yesterday were talking about the scene at the beginning where the servants started a fight amongst the Montagues and the Capulets by throwing out insults.  They, who were not initially involved in whatever incident had started the feud years before had been taught to hate the other family to the point they were trained to be unkind.  How often do students pass us by and overhear us say something unkind about someone else? Then when we overhear them discussing someone in an unkind manner with their friends we take the opportunity to jump on them? 

Growing up in my family I was known as the "Peacemaker". I did everything in my power to stop arguments amongst my siblings to the point of letting them walk all over me. I was the butt of many jokes because of this.  Somewhere in my twenties I started learning how not to be a doorstop.  Unfortunately the scales began to tip too far the other direction.  I found myself making comments to my friends about people that were unkind.  I had someone tick me off one day and telling a friend of the injustice made the comment to them that if the other person thought I was all up in their business, then they needed to just wait because they would see how much I could be in their business.  I mulled that over for about two weeks and realized I was doing the very thing I detested in others.    So why am I writing about this, besides the fact that the word of the day is "kind"?  Because when something gets into my head and won't let go I have dreams.  This week it manifest itself in a dream that wouldn't let go. I even have a name for the picture book that will eventually come out of it. It is called "The Misunderstood Monster".  It is a book about showing kindness, getting to know someone before we judge them.  The dream was three nights ago and the storyline and the images are just as vivid today as they were when I woke up. I have started storyboarding this because I want it to remain fresh in my mind.  While telling one of my new teachers at school about my dream, her words to me were, "Who are you going to get to illustrate this?"  Even she saw a picture book in it. I want it to be a reminder not only to the kids, but to parents and grandparents who read that book to those kids that they need to show kindness always.

Your mission today?  Go out and show kindness to someone.