Words can make people feel happy, like please and thank you do. Words can also hurt. We choose kind ones.
Key idea
Name-calling, teasing about how someone looks, and “You can't play” hurt. Kind words help everyone feel welcome.
Why it works
Manners are about how other people feel. Kind words make someone's day better. Unkind words can stay with them a long time.
Kind words can be small: “Nice job!” “Want to sit with me?” “I like your idea.” Try to say one kind thing to someone every day.
Worked example: Let's practice
Omar comes to school with new glasses. What could Leo say?
- New things can make people feel shy.
- Leo picks words that help Omar feel good.
- He says something kind.
Answer: “I like your new glasses!”
Common mistake
Thinking teasing is fine if you are “just joking.” A joke is only a joke when everyone laughs. If the other person is not laughing, stop and say sorry.
For the grown-up. Talk about how words make people feel: happy, proud, sad or left out. At dinner, ask each person for one kind thing they said or heard today.