Invest in the future.

We can spend money after the crime with court costs, prison costs, lawyers fees, family assistance,  victim support, counselling, CYF.... 

 OR

we can invest in the future with quality ECE.

And  the good news is that this would avoid the sadness and horror that comes with the tragedy of crime and stupidity.

Everyday and every incident, we plan for children to think about the right thing to do when there are differences in play. Adults who are 'still learning this' tend to go for a quick fix. "Quickly give back the toy cos he did have it first."  But what did anyone learn?, other than it feels uncomfortable, so fix it quick.  We value time.  We give time to this important learning.

John Key says "invest in literacy and numeracy". One way to invest in l and n is to value positive resolutions so children with  positive inner beliefs will feel secure and confident to proceed with formal learning in the classroom.

Let's invest in "The right thing to do when things don't feel right."

Three year olds and four year olds participate in these positive resolutions at quality early childhood education centres. 

 

Five years to 18 years?  and beyond?

Don't say his name.

This team is so very visionary.

When a child needs to be spoken to regarding the safety of others, don't say his name.

When you speak to him positively, do say his name.

This protects his name that could be heard over and over and repeated over and over at home.

We would miss out.

It would be so much easier to put in artificial turf. 

There would be no sweeping of paths, no re-sowing of patchy lawns, no mud, no bugs...

We would not have to sort out concerns over throwing bark, stones, sand...

We would not have to fuss when a child experimentally kicks the beautifully arranged stones onto the bark part or the bark onto the path.

We would not have to arrange for working bees of families to plant new natives and fruit trees...

We would not have to pay for regular top-ups of bark, pebbles, soil...

We would not have to go down in the term break to let in the Community Corrections Gang to shovel and barrow all the heavy stuff.

We would not have to go down during term break to water the plants and vegetables.

We would miss out on all this learning.