Homeschooling: Learning to spell

When I was a little kid, somehow, I fell in love with words. I had a best friend, Kathy Schmidt. Her last name was the first word I learned to spell.
I am a smart person. But when I was a kid, I didn't have a filter, you know, the thing that makes you hold back on saying what you really mean. That did create some problems for me growing up. But eventually, I learned to craft words more kindly.
Anyway, Kathy and I were in her house, and her Dad was teaching her to spell her last name. S-C-H-M-I-D-T. It was interesting at first, but Kathy just couldn't get it. Her Dad was very patient, spelling it over, and over, and over. "Oh, comeon, Kathy, schmidt, it's not that hard!" I said.
Her Dad looked at me with real kindness, and said not everyone was a smart as me, and I had to learn to be more patient. I said I was sorry, and I meant it. But it set me to wondering, how smart was I? And more, how could words have such power?

Words are the most powerful tools we have. As parents, our words actually shape the personality, security and self-esteem of our kids. As adults, words affirm, solidify and amuse. Words are powerful, use them with care.