I am angry that people have to live their lives in fear because of their looks, their voice, their weight, a disability, their race, their cultural heritage, or any reason that they seem different to somebody else.

"Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never harm me” is ridiculous! Words CAN harm and often do irreparable lifelong damage to children.

As a child, I was teased and bullied in school. Each morning I had stomach pains, and I dreaded recess and lunchtimes when we were not in the classroom with supervision.

To me, it is an outrage that this teasing and bullying still exists. Children are forming ignorant biases and prejudices by the age of three years old. If children are not properly educated to respect the rights of others, both the bully and the victim may turn to violent criminal behavior as they become adults.

While the approach we’re taking to educate about Respect is quite involved, Mary Lou Pickle’s philosophy that children can understand is very simple: “Let’s be nice”.

Since the early years are the most crucial in a child's development, it is essential that children start thinking about the feelings of others early in life and to think about how their actions may affect the feelings of others. By the time children are enrolled in school, they are forced to interact with other children who will seem “different” from them in a number of ways. Understanding that everybody has feelings and that being courteous and respectful to others regardless of any differences is the key to children’s living in harmony.

When children are the initiator at courtesy and respect, there is a better chance they will reciprocally be treated with the same type of respect. When children are not treated respectfully by their peers, it’s important not to deal with it in destructive or self-destructive ways.

Although it will be a slow process, I envision that Mary Lou Pickle will help a new generation of children learn to be more respectful of the rights of others. Perhaps some of those children will grow with the dreams and drive to create peace for their younger generation on an even broader level.