A song for the early days of school to build community.
I went to Mary Babula’s visitation tonight, joining hundreds of other people who came to remember her and celebrate her life. I had known Mary for many years, and every interaction I had with her was warm, kind, and positive. She was instrumental in the growth and development of WECA, and continued to work on behalf …
We had an incredible safari in Tanzania, and part of our experience was due to our fantastic guide Aimi (Ahimidiwe Ismaely Nasari). He taught me bits of Swahili, including many animal names (which resulted in a different song, coming soon.) I was fortunate to get to sing this song for Aimi, his wife, Lightness …
I heard Nkosi’s story from Rick Hanson’s newsletter and was immediately moved and touched by the quotes and the story as a whole. This is a different style of song for me, but it’s interesting to stretch. You can find out more about him here. Spotify link Apple Music
I don’t know very many people involved in dealing with invasive species in a hands-on fashion. People who are out there pulling or spraying or burning or trapping to try to prevent the spread of unwanted plants or animals, organisms that can fundamentally reshape a habitat. I’m one of those people. So is Tom Pease. …
Taking Turns is one of the key concepts in early childhood. It lays a foundation for kindness by teaching a central behavior. I wonder if the mythical one percent could use this idea, too.Here’s a song about it, written by me and sung by Faye Stanley. Take Turns © Stuart Stotts 2013
In my upcoming book on kindness, called “Beyond Nice” I have a chapter on manners. Manners are a foundation and a forerunner of deeper kindness. We shouldn’t mistake manners alone for kindness, but there’s definitely a connection. Early Childhood educators spend a lot of time on manners. That’s an important first step. And let’s face …
I am working on a book about kindness and various ways to promote it, particularly with children. One aspect of kindness is a sense of positive affect, what Buddhists might call the noble truth of “Right Effort.” It’s not about faking it, but it is about cultivating positive feeling and dwelling on beauty and what …
Leslie Leline is an amazing educator of young children. She also does incredible work rescuing abused horses. I asked her to write a guest blog article and she was kind enough to send me this. Find out more about her work at her web site. When it comes to kids, it seems to me that …