Star Student

　　Our daughter Manami was recently selected as STAR student in the elementary school she's going. According to the letter from the principal, she demonstrated skill in the Dec./ Jan. theme "Resourcefulness." She was recognized and got certification at the assembly where all students participated today.

　　For a couple of weeks, she seemed to have some stress or something uninteresting or unplesant. That is why whenever we said, "Let's go to the bathroom," "It's time to go to bed," she always said, "NO!" and did not want to follow our instruction.

　　We knew that one of her best friends (not a girl of the photo below) sometimes tells the students who tease Manami by saying, "Don't do that to Manami. She is still too small." Her friend says so out of goodness, however, she seemed to be hurt by being said, "she is too small."

　　But after she got certification of STAR student, we have been constantly telling her, "You do well this and that because you are a STAR student!" Then, her behavior completely changed. She said "Yes, daddy or mommy," whenever she was told to do something.

　　I reconfirmed the power of words and the importance of recognition. As taught in Seicho-No-Ie, what you recognize appears in your surroundings.




















　　　　　Manami got certification from the principal



















　　　　　　　　With her friend Taish

Tetsuya Abe