Civility in Action: Planting One Seed at a Time Can Change the World & Make a Difference by Kathleen Whipple

One of the words I use often now is "civility." We see it practiced less and less these days. I just finished a trip to a grocery store in my town, and saw it in action:

• The gentleman who helped a young man who was wrangling carts.

• The teacher who stopped to talk to a cashier who is also a student.

• The two people (from different parts of my life) who said hello to me. 

It is so good to know that civility still exists. Now that I am reassured about its existence, I need to help make that seed grow.

My "back story" is that I work in an elementary school as a school social worker, and am the proud mother of two daughters. I am passionate about the work that I do with our children and their families.

These little people watch us so closely; we can never forget that. They learn how to treat other people by watching and listening to us. The way we treat other adults becomes their foundation for how they learn to treat each other.

We, the "grownups" of this world, need to be increasingly vigilant in modeling civility. There are opportunities every day, all day, and we need to be mindful of them. We simply need to take advantage of the chances we have to demonstrate the way that people should, ideally, interact. 

Here's the best benefit of all: while we are showing children how to be civil, it becomes a habit.

Keep practicing civility. You can plant a seed and change the world.

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