I totally agree with this Em!!

If they actually did this, bullies, future abusive husbands and parents would certainly be a thing of the past since this their basis. It is highly argumentative for me to state this, but I believe it to be a fact. Most people with inferiority complexes are the very ones who are bullies and later turn abusive to animals, children and their wives.

I agree with this to a point. Children are our future and a negative upbringing, whether at home or in the classroom, can certainly have a devastating effect. I had a very cruel teacher who often made me cry out of humiliation when I was only 5. She thought I was too skinny and would make the other kids laugh and point at me. Jews are brought up not to believe in Hell, but I remember telling a Catholic friend that I hope she's right since Mrs. Monihan belongs there.

Being an elementary school teacher these days is very demanding. We live in a world where you have to tell children not to pick up the dirty needles they see in the grass or play with guns or help the strange man find his puppy.

A teacher definitely should show each student that he or she has potential to succeed. Teachers should also be kind and fair and promote commaraderie and respecting others. But parents need to take responsibility for their children too. So many parents leave everything up to the school system because they are worn out from trying to make a living.

A book called "Everything I ever needed to learn I learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulgham says it all. I hope Emily doesn't mind if I quote something from that book.

he writes: "Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that."