Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is CONCEPT, which the dictionary defines as “a guiding general principle that determines how a person behaves.
What concepts…or guiding principles…are we teaching our children?
I watched an old Andy Griffith Show last night called, “Opie’s Newspaper”.
Young Opie has trouble getting customers for the little newspaper he and his friend have published and his dad advises him to use the daily city paper as a model and write stories that will be of interest to the general public.
Looking through the city paper, Opie realizes that the stories that are of interest to the adults in his town are the ones filled with scandalous gossip…so, in his little newspaper, Opie reports all the tidbits from conversations he has overheard. Fortunately, his dad reads what he has written before many of the town’s residents get a copy and they destroy the newspapers before anyone’s feeling are hurt.
His dad asks him why he wrote such stuff. Opie replies, “When I put in the nice stories, nobody wanted to buy it.”
That episode was filmed over fifty years ago…but times certainly haven’t changed. If anything, they have gotten worse. Many people LOVE to hear juicy tidbits about famous people. It seems that hearing horrible things about ANYONE seems to be a national pastime around the world. That’s why all of those court shows and expose shows like Jerry Springer and Morey Povich are so popular!
As parents, we have to remember what the pencil maker said to the pencil before he put it in the box, “Everything you do will always leave a mark.” Our children are like a piece of blank paper…and the concepts or principles we teach will have a lasting impact on them and will determine how they behave.
As Opie’s Aunt Bea said, “If we want the boys to behave better, we’d better set them a better example.”
What example are you setting when it comes to gossip?
Are you done with your holiday shopping? Do you want to make a positive impact on your young child?
Please remember that Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is a super cool book and makes a PERFECT GIFT:
- For parent, teacher, grandparent or daycare provider of children ages 2-8!
- Provides 100 classic picture book story suggestions!
- Gives a summary, age-appropriate craft and simple recipe for each title!
- A great resource for fun-filled educational self-esteem building activities!
- No fuss or muss…everything is quick and easy!
- Buy the book today and help several children’s organizations!
- We donate a portion of the proceeds to Reach Out and Read, JDRF, KidsAreHeroes, Books for Africa and BesstheBookBus.
- 45% off the list price! Check the prices on Amazon, Alibris and ABE Books…everyone (except the publisher, MoneyPenny Press) is charging MORE for USED copies!
- There is a special PayPal button for Canadian residents!
“A wonderful resource for people who care for their children.” – Norman Bridwell, creator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog series
“What a lovely book! Parents will find inspiration in this delightful guide.” – Katherine Holabird, author of the Angelina Ballerina series
“I wish Show Me How had existed when my children were young.” – Suzanne Williams, author of the Princess Power series and over 20 other books
“Show Me How is an must-have resource for parents and teachers.” – Marilee Gruber, kindergarten teacher and grandmother
“Fun and practical for anyone fostering self-esteem in children.” = Joan Fleischer, co-founder of Creative Arts Therapy Center, New York City
“Invaluable tool for children to become life-long readers and lovers of books.” – Dr. Jodi Harap, clinical psychologist, Chicago, IL
Don’t wait…buy your copy today to make sure you get it in time for the holidays!
Show Me How is also available from the publisher (MoneyPenny Press, Ltd.) on Amazon and Amazon Kindle, for U.S., Canadian and international customers.
Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/
[…] http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/sunday-post-concept/ […]
[…] more at jakesprinter’s SUNDAY POST : Concept […]
[…] SUNDAY POST : Concept (jakesprinters.wordpress.com) […]
[…] space is the ultimate concept and adventure travel. I’m combining two photo challenges, Sunday Post: Concept and Travel theme: Circles, with photos of real equipment and models of it used in the planning and […]
Related articles
- Sunday Post: Toys…Top Ten Toys for Young Kids (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
- Sunday Post: Natural Resources…The Children of the World (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
Great concept Vivian Thanks for sharing your beautiful photography 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Jake! Pictures of my grandson are always fun to share.:)
LikeLike
Such a good point, Vivian. Honestly the whole celeb gossip thing is something I can’t relate to – I have literally no interest in it. But it’s also important to be careful what you say about people you know – even if it’s meant well. Children have been known to repeat things 🙂 and that could end up causing harm to someone accidentally.
LikeLike
You are so right, Susanna! And the problem is that when our kids overhear us ‘chatting’ about a relative, friend or neighbor they embrace that as the way to behave…so it’s not only a problemof them repeating something they have overheard, but a problem of learned behavior for their adult life.
LikeLike
BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS. Love the concept.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
LikeLike
Thanks, Francine! Glad you liked my ‘take’ on ‘concept’. 🙂
LikeLike
So very true – we love gossip. Just look at the success of reality TV. Essentially, peeking into someone elses life and then talking about it. I agree it’s so important how you speak about other people to and around your children. I always maintained and still do ‘everything counts’ (as in your pencil box) and hopefully said it and showed it often enough to sink in for a lifetime 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Leslie! Gossip appears to be just another form of bullying…as Deputy Fife would say, “Let’s nip it in the bud!!!!” Another teacher I know asks her kids when they come to ‘tell’ on someone, “Are you telling me this to get someone into trouble or to keep someone from getting into trouble?”
LikeLike
“If I can’t say something nice about a person, I won’t say anything” I think that is how the saying goes.
Well put in the post, Vivian. We do want to be good examples.
Love how you put the good things people said about your book in the post. Congrats! 🙂
LikeLike
Clar…that a great policy…to only say kind or nice things. 🙂 Young children are observing the adults around them all the time…and they internalize EVERYTHING they see and hear. 🙂
LikeLike
Great post with a great message Ms. Kirkfield!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Erik! I think you have addressed this issue before also in one or more of your posts. Sometimes people don’t realize how much they can hurt someone by what they say.
LikeLike
True. You are very wise Ms. Kirkfield! 😀
LikeLike
No they don’t Vivian. This was a great thoughtful post for the theme…it made me think of something I read the other day on facebook [it has its moments].
“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” – E Roosevelt
LikeLike
Jo…I really appreciate your insightful comment…and the quote! Thanks for taking the time to stop by. 🙂 Have a beautiful holiday season!
LikeLike
Ah, gossip… You know, after I’ve heard my kids talk about their classmates, I’m starting to think that gossip is actually part of human nature. I don’t mind letting my kids vent but I try to have them rephrase some of their comments, so they don’t label anyone. So when they say someone is bossy, I rephrase it with someone tends to boss others around, or someone can be a little bossy sometimes. I don’t label my kids and I want them to understand they shouldn’t label other kids either. I don’t encourage the gossip but I like to hear how their day went and if something needs to be address. As for gossip on my end, I don’t do it in front of my kids and try to refrain myself with others. I used to hear A LOT of gossip when I worked in an office and that’s something I don’t miss at all working from home!
LikeLike
GREAT comment, Milka! And I think it is wonderful that your kids feel comfortable talking to you and around you…their conversations can help you get a better understanding of how they are faring in school. 🙂
LikeLike
You know, it’s really tough out there. At age 4, my son is already going through rejection when his best friend is playing with another the kid, and that kid tells my son he’s not welcome to play with them. The same thing happens to my 6-year old who has been told a few times by a friend he was not his “best” friend anymore. Kids can be so possessive and cruel, it’s quite shocking! I also find this exclusive type of friendships very American. Growing up in France, we always played as a group of friends, not pairs, early on and we entered adulthood that way too. There sure is a lot less rejection that way!
LikeLike
Great post, Vivian! Along these lines, I teacher I worked with many years ago had this message posted in big letters across her class room walls: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”
LikeLike
I’ve seen that also, Laura! Gossip in the classrooms can run rampant…they used to say, “Sticks and stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me.” But names and words so hurt. 😦 Let’s just all be kind. 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: SUNDAY POST : Concept Cookery in Cambodia | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity
Pingback: Sunday Post: Concept | SC Surf Butler
Pingback: SUNDAY POST: Concept « patriciaddrury
A wonderful lesson, Vivian.
For for writers, Opie’s comment is still a timely truth…and temptation:
“But when I write nice stuff, nobody wanted to buy it.” WOW, such a jarring reminder.
LikeLike
Yes, Marylin…that is so true! Have a beautiful holiday season…I will try to get over to your blog…I so appreciate you coming by mine. 🙂
LikeLike
The analogy of the pencil is so apt!
And what you say is so true. Now that Caleb is 22 months, he is absorbing and repeating what I say. So as parent, it’s important to watch what I say.
Congrats too on the great testimonials you are receiving for your book and how it is impacting so many!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Emily!
I did a five-part series on The Pencil-Maker’s Tale on my blog last year…perhaps I should re-do it…I love the connection it has to parenting and the impact we make on our children. 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Sunday Post : Concept « restlessjo
Beautiful photos and great topic… Gossip is poisonous. 🙂
LikeLike
You are so right, Eliz…that is a good word to use for it. 😉
LikeLike
Pingback: Sunday Post: New Year 2013…12 Critical Parenting Goals « Positive Parental Participation
Pingback: Sunday Post: On-Going…Picture Books and Projects « Positive Parental Participation