I believe that teaching children to love themselves (and others) is one of the greatest gifts that you can give! I also believe that children should learn to celebrate differences in the home and that their teachers and friends can, and should, be a wonderful source of influence and affirmation. My heart is that my web site and this blog can be tools that ALL people can use to help decrease the gap of hatred and misunderstanding and increase the bond of unity and understanding!
Below is a poem from the book The Crayon Box that Talked
that I have read to hundreds of preschoolers. It's a great book with a simple message, "Together we are better"!
The Crayon Box That Talked
by Shane DeRolf
While walking in a toy store, The day before today, I overheard a crayon box, With many things to say...
‘I don’t like Red!’ said Yellow. And Green said, ‘Nor do I! And no one here likes Orange, But no one knows just why.’
‘We are a box of crayons That doesn’t get along.’ Said Blue to all the others, ‘Something here is wrong!’
Well, I bought that box of crayons, And took it home with me, And laid out all the colors, So the crayons could all see.
They watched me as I colored With Red and Blue and Green, And Black and White and Orange, And every color in between...
They watched as Green became the grass, And Blue became the sky, The Yellow sun was shining bright, On White clouds drifting by,
Colors changing as they touched, Becoming something new. They watched me as I colored. They watched till I was through.
And when I’d finally finished, I began to walk away. And as I did, the crayon box Had something more to say...
‘I do like Red!’ said Yellow. And Green said, ‘So do I!
And, Blue, you were terrific, So high up in the sky!’
‘We are a box of crayons, Each one of us unique. But when we get together, The picture is complete.’
*TM & copyrighted, 1996, 1997, 2001 Shane DeRolf.