This is to all parents, teachers and grandparents. Let’s all get off to a great start this year.

At home we need to encourage kids in everything they do good. Kids, little and big, love to think they are special.

Everyone, it is our job to let every kid be special. Just a kind word here or there can make the difference in having a kid with all A’s and B’s or all D’s and F’s.

We need to work on their self-esteem. If they feel good about themselves they will want to make you proud.

Guess what … everyone wins! Your verbal applause should be specific, don’t just tell them they have done well, tell them what they did well.

Exercise your right to praise them excessively. If you will find the good in the kids, they will feel much better about themselves and will do better in school. Kids, and people in general, will do no less than what is expected of them.

Do you expect the best from your kids? Why not? They will do what you expect!

Make “thank you” a part of your working vocabulary. It costs nothing, but gets great results.

My favorite teacher was Henry Neal. I loved that man and would have done anything for him. He made not just me, but every person feel special. Every year while sitting in his class, people would pop in the class to tell him they were finishing college or in the Army.

His kids came back because they loved and respected the man! This will make everyone’s life better if we all work together on this. It’s real simple, find what everyone is doing right and tell them about it.

This will be a better world if everyone will do this. I promise.

“A problem well stated is a problem half solved.” — Charles Jettering