― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I have
written a couple of times about the kindness of encouragement, but its impact continues
to amaze me.
Classes began
today for all but one of my children who does not begin until Wednesday, so the
two of us went for breakfast at a restaurant. Thanks to our kindness project, my children
are definitely paying more attention to their p's and q's. So this morning, even though she was a little
sleepy, my daughter managed to say please and thank you. The server remarked to both of us how polite
she was. Immediately, I saw the
impact. My daughter stepped up her
manners and was incredibly mindful to say thank you each time something was
brought out to her. When the bus boy
came to clear the table, my daughter handed him her plate. He said to her, "I think the server was
right about you -- she said we had a very nice customer."
It made me
realize -- yet again -- the power of appreciation and encouragement. By appreciating my daughter's efforts, the
staff members at the restaurant encouraged her.
I saw how their words affected her and I imagine they will stay with her
beyond today. (The experience reminded me
of a camp counselor who told me I had a great smile -- more than 40 years ago.)
This made me
wonder, what opportunities do we have every day to appreciate and encourage
others? As a parent, it is so easy to
become frustrated with children's behavior, but what happens if we focus on
what they are doing right? And what
about employees and spouses? When we appreciate
others, not only do we acknowledge their thoughtfulness and efforts, but also we
encourage them to be their best selves. It
is something to keep in mind, especially at the beginning of the school year.
P.S. Now that our family kindness project is over, I may not be posting every day. But then again... who knows J
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