"All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten"
by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sand pile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sand pile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
Well I'm glad to tell you that our son learned all these lessons, and it was clear that he payed attention to every detail. It amazed me that in the first two weeks he learned what it takes to please the teachers and the adults who care for him. I watched as each night, he gave me a running report of his day, always prefaced with the sentence, "I didn't get any tallies today". As the year progressed, he learned that not all tallies are created equal. By listening for our response as parents, he began to understand what was important to us, Take care of your things, Take care of people, and Take care of yourself. That's what it all boils down to isn't it. Sounds a little like, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
The other thing that amazed me was seeing our deposit as parents grow up before our eyes. Jason chose to protect a teacher and child's relationship instead of protecting himself first. He as more concerned with marring the representation of the child that was bothering him, than keeping himself safe. He was courteous, had lots of stories and a huge imagination. At the end of the year, we lost our teacher due to a family move out of town, so Jason won't get to see her next year, but he's in Summer School now, upstairs in the elementary classrooms, and we've picked our teacher, now to wait for school to begin in August, and 1st grade here we come.
P.S. The goal of Mrs' Lerch was to teach her kindergartner's to read, and guess what... he can. Thanks Mrs. Lerch we'll miss you. The Ramsey's
