[Teaching Tools] Don't Be A Name-Caller

Well friends, it's that time again.  Get ready, cover your mouths, and zip your lips.  It's...

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Did you know? I did, but then I forgot. Now I'm wracking my brain to think if I did any name-calling this week. I'm quite certain I didn't call any of the poodle-heads names. Except for Poodle-head, and Snarky McSnarkerton, and Winner! Oops. Those are names, and I did call them.  Oh, and I just remembered I did call someone on the television box a pretty nasty name for being mean to their girlfriend on a TV show on Monday. This is why I don't watch TV. It brings the evil out! Now I've ruined the whole week.

Seriously though, my caped friends, I do recommend paying a little attention to the concept behind this week. You may have noticed in the past decade or so that it's getting harder and harder to be a kid.  One of the things I've seen increase alarmingly is the level of nasty name-calling that goes on.  They aren't calling each other "stupid-head" any more (did they ever?), and they are going far beyond simple "sticks-and-stones" level harassment.  Not only are kids in in danger of being seriously mistreated by other kids, they are also in danger of thinking this kind of treatment is accepted or acceptable.  I know, a week of no name-calling isn't the answer--just like Just Say No didn't work back when I was growing up, and DARE didn't work when my brothers were--but where else do we begin?  We need to be overt with our kiddos and make sure they know that  not only will we not allow them to mistreat someone, but we won't allow them to be mistreated.

Wow.  Did I start to get preachy or what?  Either way, don't call anyone any names until at least Saturday.  You dig it?