Why Can’t Apples Be Purple

Imagine yourself in Kindergarten.

Imagine the excitement. 

The first real school experience.

Away from your parents. 

Away from bothers and sisters

Nervous

Excited

Scared

Anxious

All those feelings being felt in a giant ball in your tummy. At that age do we know what it is to want to fit in? Can we tell if someone doesn’t like us? I can’t remember. 

In Kindergarten we are coming into our personalities and things that make us happy and things that make us sad. We are starting to be more independent and we are building our confidence.

This is a critical age. 

Words matter. Actions matter. 

Kindergarten is fun. It’s where social behaviors are learned. It’s where fun things are learned. 

The alphabet. The numbers. The drawing. The coloring. 

Words matter. Actions matter. 

So now imagine yourself sitting at your tiny table in your tiny chair in your big classroom. The teacher gives everyone a piece of paper and gives instructions to color the apple that is printed on the paper. 

Now imagine, you are loving life and you are loving being in school. You are unique. Nobody is the same as you. You are excited to color your apple. You start to color your apple purple! 

The teacher is walking around checking on everyone’s coloring. The teacher gets to yours. 

Words matter. Actions matter. 

In front of the whole class, the teacher snatches up your piece of paper. The teacher proclaims that apples are green, red or yellow. Apples are NOT purple. Imagine the shame you feel. Imagine how your feelings were quashed. Imagine how your creativity was stunted. Your confidence was crushed. You shriveled. 

Words matter. Actions matter. 

Imagine the trauma. But you may be thinking, how could that be even remotely traumatic for a child? Then let me ask you this. Why would that child remember that event years and years and years later? Because it was traumatic for that child.

Those words and those actions formed something in that child. That child now is constantly seeking reassurance about decisions that may seem easy enough for us, but are a huge struggle for this child. That child struggles with confidence. That child struggles to be unique. Those words and actions carried over into that child’s adult life. 

Words matter. Actions matter. 

Stop crushing a child’s creativity. Stop crushing a child’s feelings and emotions. Stop crushing a child’s confidence. Think about your words. Think about your actions. Color your apples purple.