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| DALMATIAN |
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| A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started to discuss the dog's duties. |
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| IMAGINE Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today... Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope some day you will join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope some day you will join us And the world will live as one -John Lennon |
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| Source: Jokes4U.com |
| There is something in the way children perceive things that makes them certain about how the universe is ordered. That is because they have the infinite capacity to imagine things. Sadly, this creativity is oftentimes curtailed during their growing up years. Sometimes, adults tell them to stop imagining things because there are no gnomes and fairies that inhabit their play area. There is no Santa Claus who comes down the chimney and leaves their favorite toy in the fireplace come Christmas. Batman, Spiderman, Superman and all the superheroes are all a figment of the imagination of their creators. |
| In some schools, children are taught to memorize facts. Analysing them is optional. They are taught to follow a formula to the exact measurement. Challenging them is not necessary. If they excel, we award them medals of honor for their ability to follow instructions upon graduation. Then we get disappointed at their helplessness to cope with the realities of the world out there. But have they really learned the right skill to deal with actual problems by themselves? Have we developed their ability to plan ahead? To be creative? To be aware of their potential? Growing up years of children are important enough to merit our full attention. We need to nurture their innate capacity to envision a livable world where they can make themselves useful, and to take pride in it. After all, they, too, have a stake in it. |
| To see with the eye To smell with the nose, To hear with the ear, Although it seems correct Yet that is not all. Only when there is no separation Between the inner and the outer, When the mindfulness is integrated Like bone and flesh in harmony Will the eye be like the ear, The ear be like the nose And the nose be like the mouth With no distinction between them. |
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| How do we foster this creativity in them? By helping them develop a sense of responsibility, of mindfulness, wakefulness and steadfastness. By developing in them a coping mechanism that will help themselves pull through difficult situations. You will find this nurturing process daunting, but should your children develop into caring, responsible adults in society, you would have done your share in contributing to a peaceful, non-violent world. Remember, they too have their own special corner in this wide world. They are important enough to make a difference. Let me leave you with parting words of wisdom from a Chinese Zen master: |
| Why? Because in the tender mind of the child, his poo-pooh came out of him - it is his creation. And he takes pride in sharing this "gift" with others, never mind the smell. |
| When this is achieved, One can, upon seeing a tender shoot, See the whole movement of life And, when seeing the falling leaves, Know that the trees want repose. -Dongshan Liangjie (807-869) Zen master from Zhejiang, China |
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| I still vividly remember the admonition of a psychologist-friend who said that if a toddler offers his poo-pooh to adults, they should not react with disgust but with pride and acceptance. |
| Cheers. Tsinoy |
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| "They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster. "No," said another, "he's just for good luck." "I know!" said a third... "They use it to find the fire hydrant!" |
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| If you wish to support a non-profit foundation that promotes children's art, imagination and creativity globally, please click the images below: |
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| Wahoo graphics design by Carlo Marco Cruz. Animations from Harry the Cat and Animation Factory Background Music "Imagine" by John Lennon. |
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| Tsinoy says: Out of the mouths of babes come forth pure wisdom. Don`t you simply admire the way children think? Theirs is a world without contradictions. In it, everything has their place under the sun. Through it, things come in a logical order. And because of it, there is harmony. |