I'm sure you're as concerned as I am. We all are.
It seems to be getting worse. It's all over the news.
Dallas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Boston Marathon, Columbine...
Black lives matter, Cop lives matter, Gay lives matter...
It's about lack of trust. It's about mental health. It's about guns...
Really, it's all about hate. And it's eating away at me.
So, what can we do about it?
That's what I do. Every time I hear of another horror, I pray.
It's frustrating because I want to do more!
As a teacher, I've been searching the corners of my brain, trying to think of what we can do to turn this around.
One thing to think about
It's important to teach children to respect police officers.
How do we do this?
Let them interact with police officers!
I'm lucky I teach in a small town.
Most of the police officers in my town are former students, or parents of former students.
We take our second graders to the police station every year.
The whole police staff is amazing to the kids!
They let the kids climb into the police vehicles.
They let the kids have lunch in their lunch room.
They give the kids pencils and water bottles with the police logo on them,
and they even take pretend "mug shots" of the kiddos! (and the teachers)
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| I'm such a ham, aren't I? |
An interesting point... when the children asked about the "bad guys" having their pictures taken, this is what they heard:
"They're not bad people.
They're good people who made bad choices."
I try to believe this. There are a lot of good people who have made bad choices: perhaps by how they are brought up, or perhaps because of things they have experienced, or perhaps because of a chemical imbalance in their brain. We need to help these people. Help them learn to make good choices.
I hope there are a whole lot more people out there that insist that people are good, but sometimes make bad choices.
That's what gains respect... or loses it. The way we see people.
Are they good, or bad? I believe they are good.
Another thing to think about:
Only love will conquer the hate.
Let the kids see you being kind to others.
Let them see you let that car in that's been waiting.
Let them see you hold the door for the person behind you.
Smile at strangers.
Give up your seat on the bus.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
Visit a nursing home.
Offer to babysit for a friend, for free.
Donate blood.
Apologize.
Give money to the poor and needy.
Find opportunities to be kind to others.
And let the children see it.
Here are some nice visuals of people doing good deeds.
I, for one, refuse to let hate have the last word.
I believe that love will conquer hate.
I believe things will get better.
What are your ideas?
What can we do?
