Kindness

I have experienced so much over the past week! Today, was an average day at work, until lunch! I have a student in my class that is just super special to me! As teachers we are not suppose to have favorites! However, this student has often times been my saving grace so many times this year on days where the disrespect and lack of listening are at all time highs! This student has just always been kind, is always eager to learn, and is so super considerate! On days when I am at the back of my room fighting tears as I try to teach but being ignored this student is attentive!

Today, I was shocked when I arrived to pick my students up from lunch! A little girl in my class was crying, and a circle of girls were around her. As I began approaching, my student that is always so kind and helpful said, " I was teasing and I told her everything about her is ugly. I told her I was sorry!" I wrapped the little girl in my arms, and rubbed her back for a moment! She began to calm down, and so we proceeded to our classroom, my arms around her as we walked.

I sent the class into my room, and started them on some work. The young girl and I sat in the hallway, as I asked her what had happened. It all started with my amazing student telling her that her fingernail paint was ugly. Then, my amazing student asked another girl what she thought was ugly about this little girl. Finally, my amazing student end finished it off with "Everything about you is ugly." As she told me what had been said to her, she sat crying! I kept my arm around her,mans rubbed her back. When she was finished, I said " I want you to know you are very pretty. You are special because only you are you! And just so you know, my daughter would love your finger nail polish, it is very nice!"

I asked my amazing student to come talk with me . She was in tears,  We talked feelings. Apparently, in her home they tease by calling each other ugly and fat. My heart sunk, because even at teasing after enough of it, this young girl would sooner or later wonder if she was ugly or fat  because of the teasing!

I ended up with three female students and I sitting on the floor just outside my room.  These moments, where my heart breaks because of the mean hearted things kids do, are probably my favorite! They are my favorite because it is a chance to shape their character!  I told each of the girls they are beautiful! That each of them has amazing talents, and I told each girl a strength they had, and fraught off tears! We talked how when you say unkind words, you can say sorry, you can be forgiven, but the hurt feeling the words caused will always be remembered! Before we went into class, the girls each told each other something they liked about each other! Then, I asked how it felt to hear something good about themselves from another? Followed by, how did it feel to say something nice rather than mean? I wish I could have told each of these girls that they are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves them!

In moments like these, I hope the lesson I taught is remembered more than the reading, math, grammar, or academic lesson taught that day!

As I drove home, I was grateful for the experience! I hate when kids are mean to each other, however, moments like these allow me to reflect. They make me grateful for my girls and how kind they are! It allows me to remind them to always be kind and always be willing to be a friend! It also, allows for me to reflect on the importance as a parent to build up! There are so many outside forces in the world ready to tear you down,  and in the home one truly needs to have a place to hear how wonderful you are!

This all brought back a lesson my mission president taught in my mission! The best way to overcome differences, and to build companionship is to extend genuine compliments to another. He stated if the only thing you can say that is a genuine compliment at first is , " I like your shoes." Then so be it! However, as we seek to find genuine thing we can appreciate and express them, it closes the gap of indifference and build a genuine love, soon we can only see good! Positive compliments lifts the other and allows them to flourish because of genuine love being shown!

I have recognized that I hate to be the negative downer person. And at times, in teasing or in trying to shoe care or concern, I express things in a way that is not constructive and could be taken as hurtful. My goal, to seek more to speak from my heart thru love, and not speaking in fear, hurt, or offense.  Especially, to watch teasing, be sensitive to others by being more aware!!