Wouldn't it be nice if we did things like this more often?

I don't see this as being too helpful, these notes were "mass produced" and stuck randomly on lockers. Every child in the school got one with no personalization, not sure how that would make a child feel better about themself.
 
I don't see this as being too helpful, these notes were "mass produced" and stuck randomly on lockers. Every child in the school got one with no personalization, not sure how that would make a child feel better about themself.
Haven't you ever been having a bad day and someone will smile at you and it will just make you feel better. Or someone will say or you will hear something will something will brighten your day same thing. It doesn't have to be doesn't be personal to make you feel better about yourself.
 
Haven't you ever been having a bad day and someone will smile at you and it will just make you feel better. Or someone will say or you will hear something will something will brighten your day same thing. It doesn't have to be doesn't be personal to make you feel better about yourself.

I think the difference that you are talking about a one on one interaction. I see that differently. I would equate what happened in the OP more like someone getting on the intercom inside Walmart and saying everyone in here is a great person and you are special even though that person doesn't know a thing about anyone who is hearing that message.
 


Words of inspiration even if not specific to the person or situation can and do make a difference.

I've had stuff bringing me down and just a quote or a smile or something not specifically directed to me is all it took to change my outlook for the moment and brighten my day.

Same idea in the op.

In fact, after dealing with 2 family members in 2 weeks with heavy medical stuff, I was looking for something inspirational last night on the internet-not personally directed to me, but just a little lift to my mood.

Kindness matters
 
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Posting notes on a locker is kind of a nice thing, but I agree it's just mass produced "kindness", no different than a fortune cookie.
I think a better thing to do was actually have students go around and do real acts of kindness towards other students. Not their friends but someone they don't know, someone who isn't popular, or seen as "cool", someone who maybe has been made fun of or bullied. That speaks louder than any impersonal post it note on a locker IMO.
 


It could potentially make matters worse - if there is a student or students that are being bullied the bullies could take down the note on the targets locker and even replace it with a negative message. Kids can be cruel and I could certainly see this happening.
 
It could potentially make matters worse - if there is a student or students that are being bullied the bullies could take down the note on the targets locker and even replace it with a negative message. Kids can be cruel and I could certainly see this happening.

Lots of things can happen every day. Should we never do anything nice, for fear that there is a slight chance of something might go wrong? Sorry, but I just think that's a destructive mentality to have.
 
Lots of things can happen every day. Should we never do anything nice, for fear that there is a slight chance of something might go wrong? Sorry, but I just think that's a destructive mentality to have.
Aren’t these notes being put up to make kids feel better about themselves in case there is a slight chance that one of them could be troubled? I think being kind is great. I work with teens and I know how a lot of them think. A random “you are great” comment would be meaningless to many of them, I asked a few today, they laughed. It was one of them that mentioned the downside of reversing the the positive message to a negative one.
Acts of kindness directed to an individual are great, but don’t see the benefit in this type of activity.
 
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The Kindness Bandits at my kids school have been doing this for years. :)

You have to tell me more about The Kindness Bandits! I love the idea of this and all the other posters who said they do kindness projects or weeks at their school. I'd like to get our student council or a club doing something like that at our school!
 
I'm trying, really trying, to understand where you are coming from that you would react so negatively, and frequently, on this thread. I'm coming up short.

Why do you assume the messages weren't heartfelt? My heart goes out to everyone affected, even though I don't know them.
Although this post is not directed at me I will weigh in on it.
I feel terrible for everyone that was affected by this type of tragedy, it should not happen anywhere, especially in places once considered safe, like schools. It is so sad.
That being said I don’t think the notes were heartfelt, the people writing them had no idea who would receive them. A random “you are great” message is not very meaningful in my opinion. The teens I spoke with today agree, they laughed about the idea. I am not opposed to the idea, just not sure of the benefit.
 
Although this post is not directed at me I will weigh in on it.
I feel terrible for everyone that was affected by this type of tragedy, it should not happen anywhere, especially in places once considered safe, like schools. It is so sad.
That being said I don’t think the notes were heartfelt, the people writing them had no idea who would receive them. A random “you are great” message is not very meaningful in my opinion. The teens I spoke with today agree, they laughed about the idea. I am not opposed to the idea, just not sure of the benefit.

I don’t know. Dd has a girl in her grade in high school that tried to commit suicide. Her mom and sister were actually bullying her about her weight. I don’t think they saw it as bullying but it made her feel the same way. Anyway, she said several times that one word of kindness from anyone at school or away from home would have helped so much. So in her case, it would have definitely helped her.

Teens laugh about a lot of stuff but you don’t know what they were thinking and I bet some were thinking “yes, it would make me feel better”.
 
I'm trying, really trying, to understand where you are coming from that you would react so negatively, and frequently, on this thread. I'm coming up short.

Why do you assume the messages weren't heartfelt? My heart goes out to everyone affected, even though I don't know them.

This school is in Illinois, they were not involved in the tragedy. Why do you assume they were heartfelt? You think they personalized notes for all 4,000 lockers?

My issue is the half hearted fake do-gooders who wouldn’t take 5 minutes to help someone else normally thinking they’ve done something amazing by putting up a few random notes.
 
This school is in Illinois, they were not involved in the tragedy. Why do you assume they were heartfelt? You think they personalized notes for all 4,000 lockers?

My issue is the half hearted fake do-gooders who wouldn’t take 5 minutes to help someone else normally thinking they’ve done something amazing by putting up a few random notes.

You do realize that this could be just one thing that they do. Just a way to reach out?

I don’t understand criticizing what someone else is doing. At least they are trying to do something.
 
I polled my 16 year old dd to see her reaction to the locker stickers. Her school of 1800 does not have lockers-mesh bookbags are the thing. She said that she would like it. "It would make me smile, but of course I am a sucker for random acts of kindness." So yea, there are kids that would appreciate it.

In fact, she's at school today after there were threats by 3 kids who said there would be a shooting at her high school today. The 3 kids were arrested yesterday ages 15. I asked DD if she wanted to go to school, she said yes she has a big English group project to present and feels safer because the threats have caused there to be an increased police presence on the campus today. DD expects there to be a lot of absences today as word of the threats made rounds on social media and in the news last night, parents and kids were reacting saying they would not be going today.

Thirteen schools in our area have had threats made against them this week. I am sure this is going on all over.

So yea, there are kids who are a little nervous about going to any school these days and a random word of encouragement or kindness just might help.
 
This school is in Illinois, they were not involved in the tragedy. Why do you assume they were heartfelt? You think they personalized notes for all 4,000 lockers?

My issue is the half hearted fake do-gooders who wouldn’t take 5 minutes to help someone else normally thinking they’ve done something amazing by putting up a few random notes.

You obviously have your mind made up. It's a shame that you can't see that there are a lot of good, caring people in the world who would have genuine thoughts of sympathy and encouragement, but it is real.
 

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