Home › Resources ›
MAXIMize the Moment Junior Volume 2, Issue 34

MAXIMize the Moment Junior Volume 2, Issue 34

May 19, 2003
Document
Topic: 
MAXIMize the Moment Junior
Ethical Value: 
Gossip
Ethical Value: 
Kindness
Age Range: 
8-10

Story

"I hate Miss Saludo! I bet she just went into teaching so she could yell at people all day. She's a mean old lady who hates kids," I tell Teddy as we leave school together.

As I turn to get on the bus, I realize that Miss Saludo was walking behind us and I start to feel really bad about what I said.

When I get home, my grandmother asks me what's wrong. I don't want to admit everything I said, but I feel like I have to tell her the truth.

After I finish, she is quiet for a long time-which makes me really nervous. Finally, I ask, "Well, what can I do to make this better?"

She looks sad and disappointed and says, "I'm not sure that there's anything you can do. 'Once a word has been spoken, it cannot be recalled.' You can't make it disappear because you got caught and you feel bad about it. Whenever you start to say something that would be hurtful, remember: 'Once a word has been spoken, it cannot be recalled.'"

Gram's words make me feel even worse. I wish I could take back all that stuff I said about Miss Saludo. I hope she's able to forget about my mean comments. And I hope that I remember the lesson I learned today: "Once a word has been spoken, it cannot be recalled."

This week's maxim is "Once a word has been spoken, it cannot be recalled."

Maxim

  • "Once a word has been spoken, it cannot be recalled."
    Wentworth Roscommon

Character points

  • Kindness-I treat others in a loving way because their feelings are important to me.
  • Caring-I realize that my actions affect others and I try to treat them with kindness.
  • Concern for others-I care about others and want them to be happy.
  • Empathy-I am able to see the world through others' eyes and feel what they are feeling.
  • Love-I try to do what is best for others because I care deeply about them.

Homeroom Discussion Information

  • Do you think this week's maxim is true?
  • Have you ever said something unkind and later regretted it? What did you learn from that experience?
  • Let's say you get caught making fun of someone. Is there anything you can do to make up for it? If so, what?
  • Do you think many students at this school say mean things about people behind their backs?
  • If everyone knows that put-downs hurt, why do people still do talk like that?
    How do you feel about yourself when someone catches you making fun of him/her?
  • How do you think that other person feels?
  • Would you want to be friends with someone who had a reputation for making mean and cruel comments about others?
  • Do you think you are more likely to earn friends by being kind or by making funny, yet unkind, comments about others?
  • What are some reasons that people make fun of other people?
  • How can you stand up to a friend who is saying mean things about someone?

 Home-Use Information

Five tips for maxim-izing your family time

  • Be honest with your kids. Tell them about a time that you chose to or not to make fun of someone else and how your decision made you feel about yourself.
  • Share a story-you can use an example of a time that put-downs hurt you or that you hurt someone else or a relationship by making fun.
  • Encourage your children to "walk in someone else's moccasins" for a change. When you hear a story on the news, around the dinner table, etc., ask them to imagine what the people involved must be feeling.
  • Remind your children how much you believe in them. You are probably tempted to gossip in your workplace or even by friends, so you may have a sense of what they go through.
  • Take a few minutes and share kind words with one another. Have each person say one good thing about each of the other members of the family.

Discussion starters

  • What did you think of the story that was read at school today?
  • Do you think that put-downs a big issue at your school?
  • Do you think that adults act that way?
  • How would you feel if you found out that a teacher or a coach was making fun of you in the teachers' lounge?
  • Is that situation different from students talking about teachers in the hallways or on the phone?
  • What is the best way to react when someone around you starts to make fun of other people?
  • Imagine that one of your friends starts saying mean things about you. How would you want your other friends to respond?
  • How can we, as your parents, help you have the courage to stand up for others when someone is putting them down?

Be sure to acknowledge the courage your children show in talking with you about these issues.

Related Links