When I was a kid, I dreaded going back to school. I loved to learn, but I didn’t “fit in.” I had very few friends and always seemed to stand out. Truthfully, it was my own doing—I never wanted to be a part of the groups where kids would gather to gossip about others as they walked by. That entire culture of unkindness, where it was considered “cool” to tear others down, never sat right with me.
I disliked the idea that school was less about learning and more about being socially accepted—or else your life felt miserable. I just wanted to learn, because I loved learning. But in between classes, there was always drama. So, I stayed to myself. Even at lunch, I skipped the cafeteria and went to the library, where I’d read until the bell rang.
Really, that’s how my school years unfolded: class, alone, class, library, class, alone, class, home. I couldn’t wait to be finished with the system, because I believed the world outside would be different.
But my thinking wasn’t completely right. So much of our world still operates this way—people being unkind and believing it makes them stronger, smarter, or cooler. And sadly, our children see and hear this every day as they grow up.
The good news is that things are shifting. Today, there’s a movement that wasn’t there when I was young—promoting kindness, raising awareness about the damage of hurtful words, angry voices, and unkind actions. You can see it in uplifting campaigns, videos shared on social media, and conversations happening in schools and communities.
✍️ Why I Wrote WORDS
I simply asked myself the question….
What are the most important things I need my daughter to know if I’m not here to teach them myself?
The very first story I wrote—before the other thirty-eight—was WORDS. I needed her to understand the power of her words, her voice, and her actions. Too often, I had seen people disregard all three, unaware (or unconcerned) about the hurt they caused.
I felt that if she could understand the difference between positivity and negativity—and that we each have the power to choose—she would learn to choose her words wisely. She would know when to walk away from unkindness and be less likely to absorb that negativity.
💛 Why This Matters for Parents
I believe this lesson is important for all of us as parents. None of us want the words of others to wound our children. And while we can’t protect them from pain completely, we can talk about it. And when we do, we give them tools to lessen the hurt.
As a child, I had to learn this lesson on my own. There were no discussions about kindness or the power of words. I just knew I didn’t “fit in.” I was kind, and that made me an outcast—uncool, socially unacceptable.
It’s time to change that culture. Not just in our schools, but in our communities and our world.
🌈 The Culture of Kindness
Kindness is powerful. And the words we use are one of the biggest ways we show it. Every child is born kind—it’s our job to nurture that natural gift, to let it flourish, to help it shine.
We may not be able to change every heart or brighten every soul, but we can help keep our children’s hearts and minds filled with kindness. If we do that, we’ll make their world brighter—and in turn, the whole world a better place.