Choose the Right Words

By Anna Culp

We can show respect, kindness, and patience to ourselves and those around us by choosing to speak kind and respectful words. Circle the answer most like what you would say to see if you are using words that build up.

1. Your shoelaces are in a knot that you can’t get untied. You get frustrated, so you

   1. say a bad word.

   2. take a deep breath and ask for help.

2. When you are at school, you call your teachers

   1. by their last names only.

   2. Mrs., Mr., or Miss before their last names.

3. Your teammate makes a mistake that costs your team a point, so you

   1. yell something mean.

   2. say, “Good try,” or, “You’ll get it next time.”

4. When you are at church, you call your teachers

   1. by their first names.

   2. Sister or Brother before their last names.

5. Your friends start using a rude word. You

   1. start using it too.

   2. ignore it or ask people not to use it around you.

6. A younger child shows you a drawing she made. You

   1. say, “I can’t even tell what that is.”

   2. say, “I like the colors you chose,” or, “You are good at drawing.”

7. You trip in front of your whole class and hurt your knee. You

   1. use a bad word to show how upset you are.

   2. say, “Ouch!” and get up.

8. You accidentally run into your brother and he falls. You

   1. tell him to stay out of your way.

   2. tell him you are sorry and help him feel better.

If you circled mostly b’s …

You are choosing to use kind words and have a positive attitude. Keep using kind and respectful words, and you will continue to be a good example, a good friend, and a good family member. If you circled any a’s, think about how you can choose better words next time.

If you circled mostly a’s …

You may need to practice using kind words and learning how to have more patience and respect. Make a goal to use your words to build others up. If you circled any b’s, keep making those good choices!

Illustrations by Elise Black