December 2013 - Grade 3

“I am convinced that every effort must be made in childhood to teach the young to use their own minds. For one thing is sure: If they don't make up their minds, someone will do it for them.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life

Dear Family Member,

During a recent Developmental Guidance lesson, your child viewed a program called Doing the Right Thing: Building Character. This program was designed to help children understand that there is a desirable way—and an undesirable way— to behave in various situations. The program presented scenes in which children had to decide what would be the right thing to do.

• Ask your child what he or she learned from watching this program. Discuss how these examples of doing the right thing apply to situations in your home.

• Reinforce some of the points that your child learned in the program.

—Be responsible. If people are counting on you to do something, do it.

—Be honest. When you don’t tell the truth things that you don’t expect can happen.

—Be considerate. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

—Don’t be afraid to stand up for a friend who is being treated unfairly.

• Talk to your child about situations in which he or she is having trouble deciding what is the right thing to do. By discussing these problems, your child will be better able to distinguish right from wrong and make decisions about the “right” way to behave.

Suggested Reading

These books may help facilitate a discussion with your child about the importance of always trying to

do the right thing: My Big Lie by Bill Cosby, The Bird Who Cried Wolf by Kitty Richardo

Yours Truly, 

Ms. Cahill