We are all teachers
School is out but kids are still learning.
From you.
Even if your kids are grown or you don't have kids of your own, kids are still learning from you.
When you thank the postal worker who taped your package unasked, they are learning from you.
When you use a gun to shoot an animal or a person, they are learning from you.
School provides structure, curriculum and book knowledge. Sometime they teach grit or other desired character traits but most schools stick to the basics. This means there is a world of opportunity for learning beyond the classroom.
What would happen if before you spoke or acted, you asked yourself, "I wonder why...." instead of reacting immediately.
"I wonder why....she is so angry with me?"
"I wonder why....he didn't want to talk about it?"
"I wonder why...they have a hard time trusting people?"
"I wonder why...she didn't respond to the invitation?"
When we get curious, we suspend judgment and we teach kids to suspend judgment. And instead of teaching judgment, we teach kids to value inquiry and hopefully empathy.
What would happen to the world if we caught and corrected-yes, corrected-our knee-jerk judgy reaction just once and changed it? Can kindness multiply like kittens? Yes.
