Cool To Be Kind

Happy Sunday; is it really June 10th already?

Yesterday I gave a podcast interview;

what fun to share my story with The Cutting Edge Counselor.

Click the image or the link above to listen in.

I'm so grateful to counselors like Alaina

who are always looking for and finding creative ways

to reach out, connect and grow.

The last Monday of school, my last guidance lesson

brought this special group of learners to Leadership Central.

We sang and laughed and played together.

Then we read Crunch, The Shy Dinosaur by Cirocco Dunlap.

This engaging, interactive newcomer

utilizes a clever and hilarious narrator to

weave in emotions, mindfulness, music,

and even a little movement

for a total physical response (TPR) experience.

If you don't know this book yet,

do yourself a favor and check it out.

I found my copy at our local Barnes & Noble.

It's my summertime picture book pick of the week.

My chapter book pick is It's Cool To Be Kind by Linnea McFadden.

Linnea sent two copies of this gem to us, one for me and one for Jax, right after hurricane Harvey hit and, believe it or not, I never got around to reading it until just now. Jax and Miley, who checked out the book from my office, both loved it, so I knew I would, too. Its message is simply powerful: It's cool to be kind.

I especially love that the author spotlights how a trusted adult, like a school counselor, can help mediate a problem by intentionally elevating empathy to mobilize compassion and kindness. We can overcome so many hurdles by opening up the lines of communication in a safe space to share our thoughts and feelings. Add this one to your chapter-book collection and join the Cool To Be Kind movement today!

After reading Linnea's book, I decided to share this

banner from my office with a cyberspace collaborator.