Valentine’s Day and every day is our time for teaching children that it is important to be their own best friend, and to know on the deepest of levels that there is no standard “Barbie and Ken” way to look, to talk or to be. The better we feel about ourselves in terms of self-acceptance, self-belief and self-love, the less we will bully others, no matter what our age. In my children’s song, The No Bully Rap Song, one of the lines says: “The nicer you are to yourself, the less you’ll pick on somebody else.” It’s true. When we are dumping on ourselves in any way, the whole world looks crooked, and it is the same for children who are feeling low. Kids with low self-images want to strike out, make themselves feel more powerful by bullying, teasing, gossiping and hurting someone emotionally and/or physically.
Valentine’s Day is also about reflecting back to children how precious they are for just being here in the world, being their unique person. Maya Angelou asks: “Do your eyes light up when your child enters the room?” Do you think the children (and adults) around you feel that reflection coming towards them? I will take that ideal a step further and encourage all of us to light up for anyone we value, and to give someone we don’t know a chance to light up our lives as well. Being each other’s positive reflection goes a long way to mirror the beauty and uniqueness of each person. Full attention listening and looking helps to build a positive self-esteem and image in others.
Choose to work on role modeling a healthy self-reflection, and choose to light up when someone else enters your life. Encourage yourself and someone else to live the words of my “I’m an Amazing Person Today!” song: “Be your own best friend in the friendship song, shake your own hand and sing these words strong, look in your mirror, smile and say: “I’m an amazing person today!”
I heard this little poem in the You Tube video you will be viewing below (by Sharon Penchina, C.Ht. and Dr. Stuart Hoffman), and it says it all:
There’s no denying,
It’s plain to see,
I have to admit,
I AM a Lovable ME!Once you meet me,
I am sure you will find,
I am unique,
I am special,
I am one-of-a-kind!