It is August already. This month has several special days for me, including my daughter’s birthday.
As her birthday approaches, I keep thinking about All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. I first heard it when the Keynote speaker at my college (graduate school) graduation read it. I really liked it, but I don’t think you learn all you need to know in Kindergarten. No, I am not talking about academics. I am talking about life lessons.
So, I have decided to write a list for my daughter of things that I think she should know for that year. I hope to write a list every year adding items.
Here is my first:
Dear Daughter,
Here are somethings I think you should know as you are about to turn five:
- Be Happy.
- Try your best.
- If you have done your best, it is enough.
- Some people won’t like you and that is okay.
- God made everyone special.
- You are special.
- You are loved.
- Don’t judge a person by how they look on the outside. The way they are inside is all that really counts.
- Some people are mean.
- You will be picked on. Everyone is.
- Treat others as you want them to treat you.
- You don’t have to be like everyone else.
- You don’t have to be different from everyone else.
- Don’t talk to strangers when Mom and Dad are not around – no matter how nice they may seem.
- Never go with anyone you don’t know well – no matter how old you are.
- Do what you know is right.
- Pray. It will help you know the right thing to do.
- Life is short. Don’t wish it away wanting time to pass. Enjoy the age you are – this is not always easy.
- Bad things happen; it is part of life.
- It is okay to cry when it hurts.
- Stand up for yourself and what you believe without pushing anyone else down.
- Listen and be humble.
- Be thankful.
- Mind you manners – be polite.
- Keep eating healthy.
- Brush, floss, and rinse at least twice a day.
- Play and have fun.
- Share.
- Study.
- Know you are not always right.
- Know you will make mistakes. Everyone does. It is okay.
- Saying your sorry won’t fix it, but it is the right thing to do.
- Keep making new friends.
- Keep saying “hello” to people.
- Remember, I will always love you – no matter what.
Love,
Mommy
This list may contain redundancies; it is okay because we learn through redundancies.
This is just a list to my daughter. It is not suppose to be in same venue as Fulghum’s poem. I am not a poet, philosopher, or minister. I am just a mom.
