Compliments

Another Friendship Friday in the books.  Today’s theme: compliments.

Have you ever struggled to accept a compliment from someone else?  It’s kind of a weird concept, but sometimes I find myself deflecting attention when someone pays me a compliment.  I want to explain why I don’t deserve it instead of just smiling and saying, “thank you.”

This afternoon, while my students were taking a math test, I called them over to me one at a time.  I quietly complimented each child and found it was quite easy to think of something different to say to each one of them.  Some kids leaned in and said, “thank you.”  Some kids looked at me like I had five heads.  Some kids smiled and said nothing.  Some kids acted like they couldn’t wait to get back to their math tests.

Earlier this week we started reading You Are Special by Max Lucado and we finished it up today.  At the end, we talked about the theme of the story – each person is unique and we don’t have to do anything extra to become more special or more important.  We just are.

At the end of the day, each student folded a paper into 8 pieces.  In the first box, each student wrote their name and decorated the box to represent themselves.  Next, I played fun music and the kids quietly went around to each other’s desks and wrote compliments to one another in the empty boxes.  After a few songs, the kids went back to their desks, soaked up their compliments, and then we all said a giant, “THANK YOU” to one another.

The kids left happy.  I left happy (I did put out a paper for myself – it’s cool for kids to compliment their teachers too!). 

Pay someone a sincere compliment today.  They might need it more than you know.