The Colors of Kindness

During the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020- May 2023), the word KINDNESS began popping up everywhere. One of my favorite places was the Kindness 101 segments on TV. They were a welcome respite from our isolation and lifted morale across our homes. CBS's Steve Hartman and his children hosted KINDNESS 101, a series of classes featuring inspiring stories of people being kind. You can read more about them here. (These are great things to share with your kids.)

Here is one of my favorites: "Don't forget to show love."

During the same period, Crayola heard from parents wanting to teach their children additional social-emotional skills, particularly kindness. So, in 2021, Crayola introduced "The Colors of Kindness" crayons, colored pencils, and markers. The box included 20 pre-existing Crayola colors and added four new ones, "specially labeled with warm words to inspire smiles and happy thoughts."

They featured inspirational messages of kindness like:

• Kind to the Core  for the color "Granny Smith"

• Keep moving forward for the color "Inchworm."

• Be sweet to each other for the color "Cotton Candy"

  
  

You can buy a set of kindness posters here.

Look at these lovely colors! Don't they make you happy?

It was hard to choose.... but these are the colors I chose for this week's poems:

• Pink Sherbert- Have a Scoop of Fun

• Oatmeal- A Warm Hug

• Macaroni and Cheese- Life is Gouda

It's Poetry Time!

Pink Sherbert- Have a Scoop of Fun

This first poem was inspired by the true story of my father driving the family to Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream Shop one very hot summer evening for ice cream. I will never forget the warmth of the breeze in my hair and the feeling of being a bit naughty because I was in my pajamas.

Oatmeal- A Warm Hug

To this day, there is nothing I like better than a warm, creamy cup of oatmeal on a snowy winter day. Recently, when 24" was expected, I found myself, nose pressed against the cold glass, watching the snowflakes dance. Memories poured back of snow fights with my brother, wet mittens, cold pink cheeks, and frozen toes, as I sat pulling off my boots.

Good times ...

Macaroni and Cheese- Life is Gouda

Writing about my grandchildren's meal of choice was a no-brainer when I saw the name of this crayon color. I looked up any words that rhymed with "cheese."Then, since the refrain in this poem almost wants you to sing it, getting the beat (meter) right on the other lines was important to me. I think both kids and kids at heart have fond memories of this dish and will have fun with this poem—we just need a little beatboxing background!

Thank you to Susan at her blog Chicken Spaghetti for hosting Poetry Friday this week. Be sure to stop by and see the other great poems linked on her blog. If you'd like to know more about Poetry Friday, this is a great resource from Renee LaTulippe.