“Never lose sight of the
fact that the
most important yardstick
of success
will be how you
treat other people.”
Barbara Bush 1925-2018
Our nation lost a dynamic, charismatic, straight shooting former First Lady this past week in Barbara Bush. What an amazing 92 years she led. I realize she had many fortunate privileges but at the same time she seemed driven to lead by example, find the joy in life and to give back. Barbara Bush was a force to be reckoned with as a wife, mother, grandmother and most visibly to the public as First Lady. I admire that. Her tireless work on Literacy was incredibly successful and transformative for both children and adults alike.
A good friend shared the meaningful quote above by Barbara Bush on Instagram and I knew instantly I wanted to use it as a talking point for this week’s blog. It seems important to honor Barbara Bush by continuing to show and teach our children/students the life long habit of treating others well. Not just in certain circumstances or because someone is watching, like a teacher, but all the time. In fact, if a child learns that good innate feeling of “doing good” even when no one is looking – that will most probably equate to a good life with many strong relationships and successes.
So how do we accomplish helping our children understand the importance of that rhetorical yardstick? That’s not an easy task but it seems doable if we as parents and educators work diligently to do our part. We need to recognize and remember kids are watching. Early on they learn to emulate adults. This happens naturally by the way we conduct ourselves and interact with people, both friends and strangers. For instance, the way we listen and respond to others and by how we fulfill or renege on our promises. I know for sure we will have moments that we regret, but those too can be learning opportunities. We can share aloud our apologies for saying the wrong thing or letting ourselves or someone else down. We won’t always get it right as a parent and/or teacher. If we take a page out of Barbara Bush’s book we need, as much as possible, to be forthright and honest without causing hurt while aiming to treat others with respect. Hopefully, in turn and with their own bumps along the way, our children and students will follow suit.
My heart goes out to the Bush family but I hope they know what an incredible legacy she leaves behind. She was known as the “enforcer” with her family and friends – that translates to me as a dedicated, feisty and loving human being.
Best,
Laine