All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life –
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
***
I would add – believe in God and the angels
***
This has been posted in response to
The Sandbox Writing Challenge 31
Raili Tanska
soulgifts - Telling Tales 
Love this Raili!!
We used it years ago as a basis for group work in one of our day programs. I thought I still had the book, but can’t find it. Anyway, I did find this poem on Google which summarises the contents of the book perfectly. Pretty awesome really, so simple. Why do we always complicate things ?!
Human nature?!?! We are our own worst enemies!! 😁
Wonder how you’d condense your life rules into a short list now.
I’ll have to think about that one 🙂 What about you ?
I’ll need to work on that too…
Today’s wisdom would seem ponderous compared to that. And yet the essence of life is right there in those words. Great post!
Reblogged this on Impromptu Promptlings and commented:
The advice in Raili’s blog this morning is so charming and wholesome that I giggled when I read it. I can’t help but think were the same kind of poem written today how ponderous and politically correct it would have to be. Loved this, Raili!
Thank you Calen 🙂 Appreciate the reblog!
Makes me think of my childhood moments………..
The trick is to bring that wealth of knowledge into the Now 🙂
Totally agree
What a lovely post. A great message
Thank you – I really like this 🙂
How lovely that you reached back and brought the wealth of simple knowledge ‘from the mouth of babes’ into our world today, reminding us just what we’re forgetting. Well done, Raili!
I especially liked the part: “Warm cookies and milk are good for you” 🙂
If you can get a hold of the book it’s a fantastic read. When I was still working in mental health rehab, I can remember using it in group work. It simplifies life so beautifully and people can relate to it 🙂
I’ll see if they have it for Kindle. Thanks! 🙂
Beautifully and simply put! Cant it not be easier? Why are we compelled to complicate things?
Don’t know. We’re pretty good at complicating stuff, aren’t we ?!
Kindergarten really does reinforce the basic principles for living. It’s important to set the foundations early.
It is indeed. I don’t know that you could get better, or simpler than this
Good advice is perennial. I love those photos of you and your sister… 🙂
Thanks Jane. I love this poem – it summarises his book beautifully. The photos are the only professional ones we taken when we were little.
On another note entirely, I found this comment in my spam folder. Was it one of yours that was there last week as well? I don’t understand how all this works. Ah well, at least I found it 🙂
I wonder why it was sent to the spam folder – I suppose it could have happened last week as well. Maybe you accidentally clicked the wrong button, or maybe WP is being perverse… 🙂
I blame WP, lol ! It has been changing a few things in my blog – like the font reverted to small size default. I’ve gone in and changed that now. My font has changed around a few times – twice to black when WP was doing something in the background. To their credit they reverted it back to white for me both times.
My font reverted to small size too, and I spent a couple of weeks thinking I must be imagining things, before I decided to see whether I could change it 🙂
Me too !!! Aren’t we so good at doubting ourselves 🙂
At the risk of sounding vain, I’ll admit that doubting myself is one of my greatest talents. Why, if contests were held, I would probably win the world championship – although, possibly not… 😀
I may well be a contender for first place in that 🙂
It occurs to me that the reason there is no world championship in this field could be that anyone worthy of the title would be too lacking in confidence to compete… 🙂
Lol !!
This is so beautiful, and true too.
Thanks Khaya. The book is a very interesting read. This poem summarises it beautifully.