It’s not the present; it’s being present.

Everyone is busily shopping for the holidays. I too have done my share of shopping, but many years ago I learned that the gift is not as important as being present. There are some children out there who may receive some fancy wrapped and even expensive gifts, but they may be missing the best gifts of all, someone who will listen, really listen to them; someone who takes time to be there for the child; someone whose face lights up whenever that child walks into a room; someone who says, “I love you” in many ways. Yes, it is not the present. It’s being present.

Have a great day and a wonderful week-end. You are a difference maker.

Maryln

Practice does help make perfect.

Have you ever noticed how children repeat the same thing over and over again? Young children enjoy hearing the same story over and over again. Older children will watch the same movie over and over again or listen to the same song over and over again.

Children learn the same way. They learn through practice—repetition. It’s just like when you learned to drive a car. At first, it may have been overwhelming, all the things that needed to be learned. After awhile, most drivers don’t even think about those things anymore. They just get in the car and drive. It’s the same with your students. Practice does help make perfect!

Have an awesome day.

Maryln

The 100 Monkeys Story and ATi’s Love Links

Many years ago, I heard a story about monkeys that lived on an island far away. Scientists gave the monkeys sweet potatoes to eat. The potatoes were dropped on the sand, but the monkeys would not eat the potatoes, they didn’t like the sandy taste. One of the monkeys discovered that if the potatoes were washed in a stream, they tasted great. Other monkeys started copying this monkey, and soon all the monkeys were taking the potatoes to the stream, washing them, and then eating them. The story goes on to say, that after a period of time a huge phenomenon happened. It happened after the 100th monkey washed off the potatoes on the sand. Suddenly, even monkeys on other islands started washing their potatoes too.

The story is a fable about social change. The idea behind this story is that just like in the monkey story, when the 100th person starts doing something, a concept catches on!

I have always loved this story. It makes me think about all of you and what you do for children and how many of you have made a difference in the lives of children. My guess is that each of you can name at least one, if not more children, whose lives you have affected. How fine!!! Just think, if others learn about your story, and it is magnified by others and builds so there are at least 100 stories, maybe this will cross over onto the world too, and more and more teachers and even parents will see how important it is to help children!

Here’s a really simple way to do this. Think about specific children you have helped. Go to our website’s homepage, www.atiseminars.org and click on Love Links at the bottom. Then just add a Love Link for a child you have helped. It is simple. You don’t provide a description. You just click on Love Link and add your name, city, state, and country. You can use your initials instead of your name if you prefer. Let’s see how many names we can add. Let’s spread the word that “Teachers Make a Difference.”

This concept may spread not only within your own city, but to other cities and countries. That’s the goal. Let’s see if we can take the concept of “making a difference in the lives of children” and expand it all over the world. Together, we will make a difference.

Have an awesome day.

Maryln

World peace—together, we can make it happen.

The world was recently appalled with the events in India. I was particularly moved by the story of what happened in the Chabad House, the Jewish Center. There was a particularly vicious planned out attack on this center, simply because it was Jewish. The Rabbi and his wife, along with others, were killed. The people, especially the Rabbi’s wife who was 5 months pregnant, were tortured. Their little 2-year old son, Moishe, watched this, and miraculously was saved by his nanny who risked her life to do this. What a special person she is! Little Moishe now keeps calling out, “Mommy, Mommy, Daddy, Daddy,” and asking where they are, because he doesn’t understand what has happened.

My son Marty, called the owner of our office building who has family in India and found out that a friend of his in India had invited two people to dinner at the Oberoi Hotel the night of the attack. The two people were both killed. The person who invited them is still alive.

I thought about the 10 men who did this. What happened to them to teach them to hate others so much that they could kill in cold blood? It is not for you and me to bring people like this to justice. That is not our job. Instead, we have a bigger and more important task. Nearly 200 people were killed. Countless others were injured, and it was all done by 10 men! If 10 people can do so much devastation, imagine what you and I together can do when we unite. Let’s start today making an even bigger difference for children.

The world needs you and what you do everyday. The world needs children to grow up and learn how to live in peace. The world needs children to learn that hatred only breeds more hatred. The world needs children to learn that they each have an important part in helping make this world a better place. That’s what we can do. Together, all of us can unite to spread not the darkness of hatred, but the light of love. So everyday, as you go to work, think about this as you go about your job making a difference.

I am a prayerful person, and so for me, one of the other things I will be doing is to pray. This is the prayer I will be adding daily. Feel free to join me and to even pass this prayer on to others. There is power in numbers!!!

Prayer for Peace in the World

Thank You God for sending peace and love and harmony throughout this world. Thank You that all people live together respecting each other, spreading kindness and caring and that together, we build a better world for children. Amen.

Have a great day. You are a difference maker.

Maryln

Still waters do run deep.

There are some children who do not talk much. My granddaughter Beth is an example of this. She doesn’t talk much, but “still waters run deep” inside of her. When she was a young teen, she heard about what was happening in Darfur, and she decided that she wanted to go to Washington along with others from all over the U.S. to make her voice heard. She raised money to do this. More recently, Beth brought me pamphlets and voiced to me her concern about human trafficking with thousands of people living in the United States in slave-type conditions. Beth may not talk a lot when you meet her, but she cares a lot. She cares about all those in her life, and she cares about the world. It is the same with the quieter children in your classes. It can be easy to overlook them because children who are more verbal draw your attention, but these quieter children need you too. Help them to bring out their inner voices. You may be surprised that those “still waters” have lots to say and share some deep caring and commitments.

Have a great day. You are a difference maker.

Maryln