Roots of Empathy

Last Thursday, my son and I had our Roots of Empathy gig at Strathcona School. It's a great program that hopes to build peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy.
The idea is that by raising levels of empathy, you will encourage more respectful and caring relationships and reduce levels of bullying and aggression. Their program runs for 9 months, with my son being the 'teacher' at 9 different in class get togethers. I've listened to people bash the public school system, yet do nothing, and this seems like a good program, so I decided to get involved.

Someone asked me to do it when our first child was born, but I was such a mama bear back then. I was wayyyyy too over protective. Now it's fun. The kids in kindergarden are SO cute. They are all so into the baby that it's insane.

And wouldn't you know it, but the littlest E is mugging for the camera and making eyes at the teacher. It definitely leaves us both feeling positive and happy when we leave the school. I'll bet it does the same for that entire class and so on.

I've always felt this 'optimism' associated with kids. I guess it's their potential and the possibility for change that I'm referring to. Makes me glad I had kids!