Back to Basics
Families are the bedrock of communities. We have many conversations about the social ills in our world and culture today but what we learn, celebrate and teach our children in our families is how they will view the world. Children learn most everything they know from their parents. If they’re parents are loving toward each other they will model that. If parents are yelling, cussing and using violence to settle disputes, they will immolate that. According to a recent study by the Association for Psychological Sciences, Children know the difference between right and wrong before they reach the age of two. The study informs, “Scientists have found that babies aged between 19 and 21 months understand fairness and can apply it in different situations.”
One of my favorite books is All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Robert Fulghum’s masterpiece reminds us of the simplicity yet power in the basics. Just think how families and communities could be transformed if we modeled what we learned in kindergarten.
“These are the things I learned (in Kindergarten):
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don’t hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS.
6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
7. Say you’re SORRY when you HURT somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life – learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamster and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned – the biggest word of all – LOOK.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
It doesn’t matter what you say you believe – it only matters what you do.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
At Anthem Strong Families we believe that strong families create vibrant communities. It is our mission to equip and empower families to better their best. Take a peek at some of the classes we offer. Perhaps it’s time for a tune up with how you communicate with your spouse. Or you may know of someone who is struggling with alcohol or drug abuse. We are the anecdote to getting back to the basics. Join us in the fight.