The Kindness Library

I remember walking into a junior high library and being captivated by a quote, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” Well, Karen Cicero and Jessica Hartshorn not only resuscitated my love for reading, but reinvigorated that urge to “pass it on” in their November 2021 Parent Magazine article, “Build A Kindness Library.” As a BCBA, we’re often called upon to arrange an environment to bring about “socially significant behavior”. In simplest terms, I often share with IEP members, “I want to engage with this student so that they want to come see me…when I’m 93.” ?

There's an adage that bears repeating, "the best time to plant a tree- was 25 years ago." Our older kids (19 and 20) came across a book that our 11 year old is presently reading (The Face on the Milk Carton). Authentic dialogue ensued as the 19 and 20 year olds, kindly clarified that milk cartons were used to help find missing persons. I don't know if I was having a proud dad moment or clinically connecting the dots to help make our world...kinder. Ultimately, I caught a glimpse of the intentions of Karen and Jessica... "If you feed (read) a child long enough, they'll look like you." #kindnesslibrary