Are You - SMILE SMART or SMILE DUMB?
SMILE SMART IS COOL
SMILE DUMB PEOPLE LOSE FRIENDS
Oh Yes! I'm worried about one
more thing. Do you know any smile dumb people? If you do, take a minute and tell the person you are reading this with about a smile dumb person you know, but do me a favor and don't talk about the person if they are in the room with you right now with a lot of people - we don't want to be smile dumb and hurt their feelings. 2 Ways to Now that you know the difference in smile dumb and smile smart - I'd like to ask you a big favor? You see, I'm very worried about something. As I walk down the halls of my school I see some children being mean to others. I see children feeling sad and unhappy. And what scares me the most is that it is happening more and more with each passing year. If we don't work together and make some big changes here real soon, when you grow up in another 10-15 years, it looks like things will become even worse. But don't give up hope yet. There is something we can do. Think about this, there will be over 50,000 children reading these same words in the Cybersurfari Contest. Imagine if all of you - and I mean - ALL OF YOU - started doing the two World Saving Secrets below. Wow! Wouldn't that be something fantastic! - If you think you can join up with us and do the two secrets below, then you can be part of our special SAVE THE WORLD campaign. OK - here is the secret plan. #1 SECRET: MAKE FRIENDS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NICE Please don't pick your friends just because of how smart they are - or what kind of clothes they wear - or how pretty they are - or how good they play kickball. That is not what matters. If the person is nice to you - you really need to at least talk to them some and be their friend. That way, when you are nice to someone else (and if they follow the same rule) then they will be a friend and be nice back to you. What made me feel sad when I was your age was when I would be nice to someone and they would be rude or mean back. That's ridiculous - and just isn't fair. So even today in my old age of 44, if someone is rude or mean to me now, I just walk away and make friends with someone else who is nice and say Bye-Bye to the mean person. #2 SECRET: LEAVE SMILE DUMB PEOPLE ALONE |
Hello, My name is "Mr. Press" - well that's what the
kids call me anyway. Last year I taught reading in four different 1st grade classes
at an elementary school in Tampa, Florida. It was really cool. I teach reading
because it is so important. If I can teach the boys and girls in my class to read,
then they will be able to get a good job when they are older and be able to buy a nice
house - nice clothes - a nice car and nice food. If they don't learn how to read,
then their life will be a lot more difficult - much harder - and not fun at all. One more
thing, I also went to college to learn how to teach children who get Grumpy every now and
then. So in the next few pages we are going to talk about a few important things I learned
so I can pass them on to you.
One
thing I've learned in my many years of teaching is there are two types of
children in my classes. One type is called "smile-smart" and the other type is
called "smile-dumb." Do you know the
difference? To give you a quick explanation - smile smart
people make life a lot happier for everybody. But I'm sorry to say that smile dumb
people make life very unhappy for people. When I was your age I had to make
up my mind which road I was going to choose in life - smile dumb
or smile smart. When you finish reading this
you need to start thinking about which road is better for you.
Smile-smart people are special. They know when to
have fun with somebody and when not to have fun. They make sure when they say or do
something that it will make the other person feel good. Did you hear what I
said? This means they do not say or do things that will hurt the feelings
or upset another person. It means they are always looking at the other person's face
to make sure they are having fun. If the other person is not having fun when they
are talking or doing something - they put on the brakes and stop. Smile smart people are really cool - let me tell you why.
First, you will notice that smile smart people have a lot
more friends. Hey, it makes sense doesn't it? If someone is being nice to you
wouldn't you like them too? Of course you would. Teachers also like smile smart kids because they make the classroom run smoother,
happier and quieter - so the teachers can teach more and get you closer to a good
life. 
Now let me tell you about a different kind of person altogether.
A smile dumb person says or does things that hurts the
feelings of someone else. They are the people who think it is funny to tease someone
else about the way they look or act. Smile dumb people
also call names to hurt the feelings of other kids and try to get them mad.
Sometimes, I've seen them even push or hit other kids to try to get them mad. Why
do they do this? - I don't really know. Maybe they just
don't want to have friends or maybe they really enjoy making other people feel bad.
I hope not. Another reason is maybe they are not smart enough to understand that if
they are just nice that others will be nice back. So simple isn't it. 
Save the World 
This is
so important, please try this at your school. If someone is being nice to you - BE
THEIR SUPER FRIEND. That way you will be teaching them (and other children) that all
they have to do to get lots of friends is be nice to someone. It's soooooooooo
simple - be nice - get friends - be nice - get friends - be nice - get friends - be nice - get friends. Can you
say "be nice - get friends" 5 times without a boo-boo?
