Buckets Full

This school year hasn't exactly been the easiest, in fact it is one of my most challenging ever, for many reasons. In my classroom today, the morning wasn't going well, so...during lunch I thought and hoped and prayed that I could somehow turn this day around. Out of the blue, I found a book that I'd purchased a couple of months ago, but had misplaced.

Have you heard of it? Have You Filled a Bucket Today?  It makes kindness more concrete for children: when you do something nice for someone, you fill up their bucket...and your own. Doing something nice for someone makes you feel good!

Moments after reading it aloud to my 24 second grade students, we were discussing simple acts of kindness, when the boys made a circle on the rug and hugged one another. Next, the girls decided to do this group hug as a chain. Then one little girl had big crocodile tears running down her cheeks. I asked her about her tears and she said that her little brother was in the hospital and she missed him. He was very sick. She had, "by accident, given him her sickness". She felt sad.

We all decided to Fill Her Bucket...and her brother's.

The day miraculously turned around. I know my bucket is overflowing now.

Miracles are everywhere.

And, we were able to do our math and science lessons with smiles all around. ♥

~K