"Yeah, you’re fine now.”

I spend 10 hours with youth everyday and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

Here are a few reasons why:

I was about 8 hours deep into my work day and I was helping out some youth with their homework.....

It was quiet for a minute. A whole minute. Which is usually rare, but in this case pretty normal; we were playing the “Silent Game.”

Then out of the blue, one boy looks up at me and says bluntly:

“You have a big booger in your nose.”

The other kids giggled for a minute and so did I.

I was actually laughing so hard that I:
A) needed my inhaler after
B) had a tear stream down my cheek.

I then stood up, blew my nose and sat back down.

I said to my honest friend,

“Am I good?”

The boy looked up at me and very casually just nodded and said:

“Yeah, you’re fine now.” He then continued with his work without missing a beat.

I couldn’t help but think to myself - how many grown adults would have continued talking to me without mentioning that I had a huge booger hanging out of my nose? Probably a lot.

And so I told the youth,

“You know what’s funny guys?” I paused - and they all looked up,

“Some grown-ups might not have told me that - isn’t that weird?”

Their response of course was,

“Why not?”

I was just as puzzled as them - and all I could say in response was,

“I don’t know.”

__________________________

What happens to us?

Why do we become so uncomfortable around each other?

In that moment with the youth, I realized again, for about the millionth time that:

Youth are extremely knowledgeable.

They remind me every day of simple common courtesies that seem to fly out the window when we “adults" “grow up.”

 __________________________

Let’s go back to the basics with each other adult friends….
 

Here are some tips I’ve seen play out in my day to day life with the youth that surround me:

• If someone is talking to us - let’s be curious again. Ask questions. Be engaged.

Maybe don't ask as many times and not as intensely as this guy tho:

 

• Compliment people. Tell them when they look sharp. Tell them when they do something you really appreciate. Tell them when they are being funny.

• Laugh at yourself and with others as much as possible. Don’t forget. Dwell in that laughter my adult friends.

C'mon who doesn't love this commercial?

• If someone is making you feel bad – tell them. Sometimes it’s as easy as going back to language like this: “You’re hurting my feelings.”

• If someone is honest with you – take a minute to digest their honesty, thank them for having the GUTS to tell you and go from there.

 "Do -Do -Do Ya have it?"

 

• If someone in your life is out of this world wonderful to you – make them a Valentine, draw them a picture, HUG THEM, or simply, tell them how you feel.

Or write them a song like Stevie Wonder did:

 

• Be silly. Make up nonsense songs and sing them loud.
• Dance. Dance when you can, it makes your heart happy.

 Don't believe me? Look at these guys. Listen to these lyrics. I know you'll want to dance.

• And of course, DRUM ROLL PLEASE, if you see someone with a big booger hanging out of their nose, TELL THEM!