Dear Reader:

It’s that time of the year when school age children (from elementary to high school) start coming down with an ” annual medical outbreak ” which seemingly spreads quickly in the form of the dreaded ” knots in the stomach” syndromes!

It normally only lasts a day through a week or two (at the most) but the longevity of the affliction depends solely on the affected student’s attitude towards himself and others. A spoonful of confidence taken daily before boarding transportation to school in the morning should be followed up by another spoonful of openness and acceptance taken at lunch.

Sprinkles of happiness and good humor should be applied to bag lunches or the weekly calendar ” specials ” … if harboring a cafeteria tray.

All ” medications ” may be stopped when you find yourself sprinkling newly swapped foods …between you and your new eating buddy or saving a seat beside you on the bus for your new transportation partner. Your ” knots in the stomach” outbreak is over for another year! Congratulations!

As a middle school teacher for over three decades … one of my most important lessons those first days of school …

was assigning student buddy locker partners -nothing was sadder than watching a frustrated new student running late to each class in tears or trying to carry five classes of textbooks around all day.

One of the most important roles we have as teachers and mentors is to keep an eye out watching to see which students are over the initial ” knots in the stomach outbreak” and which students need more nourishing in their inter-peer relationships. Learning takes a backseat until students feel comfortable and secure in their surroundings! One trusting friend is all that is needed!

So until tomorrow… It isn’t enough to to talk to our children or grandchildren about not selling themselves out … in order to blend in but to model it ourselves .

Today is my favorite day/Winnie the Pooh