Who are you?
One of the most bothersome questions I heard when I was young was: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s an age-old question, but not that useful. When you’re 3 or 6 or 10, the vague, faraway, grown-up future is too remote. What’s more relevant is: Who are you now?
Community Building
This fall we closed off the streets in our neighborhood and held an old-fashioned block party. The result was fantastic – with cars banished, we united in community. Kids rode bicycles in the open road.
Kids Need Conflict
My mentor Jan Waters taught me that. Kids also don’t learn peace skills by coloring “Friends” handouts or by signing their names at the bottom of school “no bullying policy” forms.