We've probably all heard of the phrase "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". But did you know it's actually the title of a published book of 50 essays? It is Robert Fulghum's 1986 work that was on the New York Times' bestseller list for almost two years.
Here is an excerpt that I found on the wonderful worldwide web. (Really, what did we do without that wonderful device?!):
All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
- by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. 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.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK . Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and sane living.
Think of what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
So what do you think? Is there something missing from that list, or is it complete? Let's get some comments rolling!
Stay tuned for how I can tie this post into my husband's kindergarten report card and his 36th birtday this week! (At this point, my palms are sweating, now that I've promised this. I'm not sure if I can handle the pressure. I might not sleep for days now!)
And if you're interested in purchasing Fulghum's book, Amazon.com has used copies for as cheap as a penny! I might need to order one.
2 comments:
I can't belive you posted this! I was just thinking about this exact thing this afternoon (prompted by the fact that my son starts K this year). I actually used some of these excerpts for a speech I gave at graduation from high school. So funny that I clicked here, and there it was! Good post!
Just recently found your site through a random click on the Homeschool carnival at Less of Me. So glad I did!
I, personally, couldn't have said it any better than Fulgham! I think our world would be a better place if we all had afternoon snack and a little siesta. We should definitely hold hands and stick together.
Beautiful.
Thanks for sharing your life. I've enjoyed the reads. Your post on the first official day of school at your house brought tears to my eyes. DH and I just recently decided to homeschool our kiddo's (ds is 8-1/2 and dd is 5). I am excited and nervous all at once. I do feel like God is asking this of me - my delay in submitting has been purely selfish - and I'm up to the challenge. :-)
BTW - you have a beautiful family. Very similar to ours - me...white, DH...black, ds & dd...brown :)
Peace!
Christie
Dallas, TX
themcgee4@yahoo.com
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