Ask Amy.

An “ASK AMY” column in today’s Los Angeles Times caught my eye.

A preschool teacher wrote “Amy” to say that after her little students gave the teachers gifts for “Teachers’ Appreciation Day”, she went home and crafted individual ‘thank you’ notes.

Her other teachers disagreed.  They figured they deserved the gifts, and they didn’t need to write a damn thing.

Then, “the real reason came out… they wanted me to rewrite the thank-you notes in a generic form, from all of us”.

Our perplexed teacher felt everyone deserved their own special note.  She felt appreciated & wanted the kids (and parents) to get that sense back…

“Amy” agreed.  She said, “You were right to model an attitude of gratitude to your young pupils.  Children are so thrilled to give — and to be recognized and thanked — that it is something amazing how often these important early productive and affirmative feelings descend into the grouchy and entitled behavior exhibited later in life.”