Every parent hopes to instill strong values in his her her children’s minds. As little ones grow and develop new experiences, parents do their best to help their kids identify with a strong moral code. One mother called on her creativity to teach her daughter a valuable lesson. You’ll never guess how she used a simple household object to teach her daughter a lesson she would never forget.
Amy Beth Gardner wanted her daughter, Breonna, to learn the power of her words, so she came up with an idea that would help her remember the importance of choosing her words carefully. The night before Breonna’s first day in middle school, Amy sat down with her to talk to her about her upcoming adventure. She carefully handed the young girl a tube of toothpaste and a large plate. Amy asked Breonna to squeeze all the toothpaste out onto the plate.
When every last bit of toothpaste was squeezed out of the tube, Amy asked Breonna to do something much harder. “I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back in the tube,” Amy shared on Facebook. Breonna “began exclaiming things like ‘But I can’t!’ and ‘It won’t be like it was before!’
Amy patiently waited for these issues to sink into Breonna’s mind. The girl began to understand that some actions were irrevocable. After a few moments, Amy explained the meaning of the tube of toothpaste. “Your words have the power of life or death,” the mother began. “As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry.” Amy likened the toothpaste to Breonna’s words, showing how once something is said it can never be taken back.
Amy continued to tell her daughter that she could choose between using her words “to hurt, demean, slander, and wound others” and using them “to heal, encourage, inspire, and love others.” It was up to Breonna to choose her intentions with her words each time she spoke.
Amy finished her discussion with some advice for the future. “Use your words carefully,” she told her. “Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth. . . Be known for your gentleness and kindness.” Amy ended with powerful words: “You will never, ever regret choosing kindness.”
This valuable lesson is sure to stick with Breonna as she faces the world of middle school. It is encouraging to hear that parents are doing so much to teach their children awareness and kindness.
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Source: Spotlight
