Saturday, December 09, 2006

A Complaint-Free World

Mrs. G. handed me the paper. "This is a perfect Gruntled story." Christ Church Unity, in Kansas City, MO, started a project among their young people to see if they could go 21 days without complaining, gossiping, or criticizing. Each kid was give a purple rubbery wristband of the kind that is fashionable for causes of the moment, with the word "spirit" on it. The bracelet is worn on one wrist; if you slip up, you move the bracelet to the other wrist, and start over.

The little project has taken off. People heard about it by word of mouth, and so far they have shipped 9000 of them.

This is an idea whose time has come. I will endeavor to go through the New Year without complaining – not even about the current administration (ok, I may need to start over already).

3 comments:

Ken Lammers said...

I can just see it now:

Scene: Monday - School

Girl 1: What's that on your wrist?

Girl 2: It's something they gave out at Church. We have to wear it for 21 days and we're not supposed to complain or talking bad about anybody. It's dumb.

Girl 1: Why you wearing it?

Girl 2 (with exasperated look): Mom. I'll wear it for 21 days to keep her from buggin'.

Girl 3: Yeah, but won't you have to start over if she thinks you griped?

Girl 2: Naw, she's clueless. I text at home. She thinks I'm doing homework . . .

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Fill in the conversation as appropriate for your locality's kidspeak.

And don't even try denying that we did the very same thing to our parents.

Gruntled said...

Oh, some kids try to be conscientious. Even if they only last a day, they can have their consciousness raised about just how much griping they do.

Mary Jo said...

Someone get my students on board!