Bring back the grinch…..

I love that old grinch. He is so mean, but so kind deep down inside. Let’s not forget what he can teach us in this new year…

Have you ever encountered the shopping Grinch? The week before and after Christmas was a time that brought out the best and worst in people. Unfortunately, a Grinch sticks out like green broccoli! I was shocked when I was in Bath and Body Works and a shopper bumped into a Grinch who then proceeded to yell at this stranger-making the entire store of packed customers completely silent. Oh, it was such an uncomfortable feeling that I had, so I left the store and was inspired to find good. Why is it that those bad situations are easier to remember than the good ones? After all, that mall Grinch is what inspired me to write this….. However, if you remember Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” the story ends with the Grinch changing and seeing that Christmas is not about what we give and get, but it is about the love that is shared and it is about family and friends being together. When we focus on just the gifts of Christmas, we are at risk of becoming Grinch-like. Christmas is not about how happy a gift can make someone, but it is about figuring out how to make people feel special in a very special way.

I am sure that we all have seen good grinches, like how the Grinch became at the end of the movie. Maybe even you yourself are a Grinch turned good-I know that I am. So, can you recall at list 3 good Grinch behaviors? Here is my list: 1.The stranger that held the door open for me, at Olive Garden-until I walked all the way through, as well as three other people too! 2. My parents-instead of telling me how messy my house is, they cleaned it! 3. The person who let me into traffic, which kept me from missing my turn.

I would love to hear your list too!

Since this is my Kindergarten blog, I must mention how this applies to Kindergarten. The week before Christmas break, I read the story to my students and we discussed how presents are not the most important things. I had them take turns to tell me what they are happy for, which they always have. The answers I heard were amazing- “my mom,” “our school and food,” “the markers and books,” they said! I was so happy that they understood the lesson. However, I did have one student who told me that he went home and pretended to be the Grinch and take everyone’s toys. I am sure that his parents were real happy about that, right?!?

(So…I wrote this post before I left for the holidays and just realized I didn’t post it. So I updated it and now it is posted! I guess I will stick to writing my drafts in wordpress instead of on Microsoft Word. Then, I will be able to retrieve it virtually. Lesson learned!)