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KIDS OF CHARACTER 8/31/2009
Putting The Brakes On An Insult The philosopher Rousseau, once wrote, “Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong.” When we become the target of an insult, we are put to a character test. Without the armor of character thinking, an insult can sneak into our psyche and cause havoc on our disposition and our behavior. All too often, the offended takes the offensive, when responding to an insult, and escalates a situation into a full-blown behavioral meltdown. Kids can be coached not to fall victim to such action. So what tools can teachers, parents and grandparents present to the kids in their life to inoculate them with character thinking skills to face down an insult? In The Little Book of Big Questions, author, Dianna Booher, offers a scaled and skillful strategic response to teach kids about those insults that come their way periodically. She writes, “What is the best result to an insult?”
Kids of Character can be taught these six points in order to take control of an insult. Taking control keeps an insult in front of you instead of letting it in and allowing it to eat at you. Essentially, taking control of an insult is about choosing not to be injured by someone’s words. Yes, easier said than done. I have found the following mental action to be the key that can unlock Booher’s insult strategy. When an errant insult shows up at your doorstep, immediately say to yourself: What you think of me is none of my business. This statement puts the brakes on any insult and provides the split-second command and control mechanism to keep an insult from invading your mind and heart. Kids of Character need help from their mentors to take control of those revolting, insulting life moments!
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