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Children’s Kindness Network in the News Violence Among Our Youth Can Be Reduced
By TED DREIER (5/09/2009) To the Editor: Not jails, but regional cooperation can reduce violence among children. I agree with Dwight Lewis when he says that building more prisons is not the answer for stopping senseless killings like experienced by the Johnson's family 16-old-daughter, Loren Michelle ("What makes kids today so mad they kill?" May 3) There are many organizations and teachers who are quietly going about the challenge of reducing violence. But there are many others who just accept such violence as being a part of our modern-day society. Nonsense. What if the same attitude had been accepted about the blacks? The thought of having a black president 50 years ago seemed beyond imagination. Young children have minds that are like sponges, picking up the violence from TV, video games, street talk. This needs to be counteracted with kindness teaching, adults showing interest in young children, supporting organizations that are focused on helping children make the right choices. Recently, 125 Nashville Leaders visited Denver to study Denver's growth. They left Denver impressed with how regional cooperation and long-range planning have helped solve thorny problems - and Denver looked at projects that would have an impact over the next century. Let's take on the challenge of reducing violence with everyone getting involved, regardless of where we live. Ted Dreier, Franklin 37064 Karen Corekin (2/09/2009) She came to us quite by accident. The new school year was approaching and I was surfing the internet, looking for some new ideas to add to the kindness activities I was already using in my four- year-old kindergarten classroom. Suddenly, she was there, black and white and red all over. She spoke clearly and simply to young children of the importance of treating everyone and everything with kindness. Her name was...Moozie! With fate smiling on me, I had stumbled upon the Children's Kindness Network. and now Moozie's complete Kindness Curriculum is a vital part of my room at a Children's Center in rural Wisconsin. With our Moozie puppet, 20 hands-on lessons, books, music and supplies, each day my students learn new ways to treat themselves, others, animals, and the earth with kindness, caring and compassion. I began the school year with a note home to the parents of my students, explaining the Moozie curriculum in detail. I was very surprised several weeks later when Christy, the mother of my student Sawyer, approached me one morning before school. "Hey Karen", she said, "What have you done with my daughter?" "What do you mean?" I replied. "Well, she has suddenly turned into the kindest, most cooperative child in the world!" As it turns out, Christy, the busy working mother of two children, had not read my note about Moozie. What she had noticed though, was the amazing change in her daughter's behavior toward the members of her family. Not long after, Summer, with mom Gretchen in tow, came into the room one morning. Gretchen immediately asked to speak to Moozie. Retrieving the puppet from her place of honor I brought her over to them. "Moozie", Gretchen began, "I just wanted to say thank you for helping Summer learn to be such a kind person. Mornings at our house used to be very stressful. Now Summer is so helpful and cooperative, it makes getting ready just wonderful! I promised Summer we would come and tell you about it as soon as we got to school." Apparently, Summer often tells her two older brothers that Moozie wants them to be kinder as well. Moozie also lives in our preschool classroom. The preschool teachers have dubbed her "Moozie the Miracle Cow". The changes that come with the simple wisdom of our bovine friend are nothing short of miraculous. In a world that sometimes feels devoid of gentleness and courtesy, our young students are trying to outdo each other in the kind deeds they can do for each other. Before Moozie, the children would immediately squash any insect that came into the room. Now, thanks to Moozie and her message of compassion, they can't wait to report how kind they were to animals by gently taking an earwig or potato bug outside. Instead of walking past a piece of trash on the playground, they tell Moozie that they were kind to the earth by putting it in the garbage can. When the inevitable disagreements rise between 4 year-old friends, Moozie comes to sit with them and suddenly the tension level drops as the children attempt to use what they have learned about kindness to work things out. The Moozie philosophy is the single most effective tool for kindness education that I have found in 25 years of teaching. The Children's Kindness Network has hit upon a simple way to help both educators and families guide children to a new way of seeing the world. May we all learn to see it through the kind eyes of a cow named Moozie! Franklin Charity Gives Away Books as Part of Read Me Week Moozie the Cow Teaches Kindness at Bordeaux Enhanced Option Elementary School Franklin, TN February 23, 2010 - On Friday morning, February 26, Moozie the Cow, the ambassador of kindness for the Children’s Kindness Network (CKN), will be on the scene for Read Me Week at Bordeaux Enhanced Option Elementary School. Over 120 Pre-K and Kindergarten children will follow along in the book Moozie’s Kind Adventure as they listen to the CD of county music star Larry Gatlin narrating the story backed up by the 104-piece Arizona State University Orchestra. In addition, the Children’s Kindness Network is giving away 123 books with CDs, a value of $1,845. Moozie’s kindness message is “it’s all up to me,” making children aware of kind acts they can do each day.  To receive the book, each child is asked to draw a picture with the help of teachers or parents, showing how they have been kind. After they receive the book, they are to write Moozie a thank you note, something the Children's Kindness Network feels is good training. This program being presented by CKN is one of the special programs selected and described in the recent “Character Education Resource Guide” produced by Alignment Nashville in the Mayor’s Office. Last Fall, an equal number of books was given to the Fall-Hamilton Enhanced Option School. Distribution of these books is made possible with private donations.   Moozie’s Kind Adventure was also featured in the Nashville Symphony’s Pied Piper Children’s Concert on December 19 with WSMV news anchor Demetria Kaladimos reading the story as the orchestra played. This book can be purchased from Davis-Kidd Booksellers or at Moozie.com Research shows how vital pre-K is in helping children be successful
By TED DREIER (2/13/2008) Tennessee Voices A quality pre-kindergarten education is equally as important to a young child's future as a good foundation is to the future of a building. All generations of Americans must not turn a blind eye to the importance of pre-K education. In a Jan. 3 Newsweek Interview, author David Kirp, professor of public policy at the University of California-Berkeley, explains the importance of a good pre-K education: "What's driving it is the good, long-term research that shows that if a child goes to preschool, they will have a higher income, are less likely to be involved in crime, more likely to graduate from college and have happier lives. There is also brain science that has shown the incredible importance of brain development in the earliest years." Advertisement The High/Scope Perry Study concludes that the risk of becoming a chronic lawbreaker as an adult is five times greater for children who do not have access to high-quality pre-K. Arthur Rolnick, director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, remembers telling a pro-education organization that while pre-K was certainly a moral issue, it was not a business matter. However, after conducting research on the subject, Roinick concluded that he was wrong. Pre-K is a business matter; today's children are tomorrow's employees and tomorrow's criminals. In 1997, the economic impact of pre-K was outlined in a study by professor Mark A. Cohen of Vanderbilt University. Cohen estimated the nation could save $1.7 million-$2.3 million for each person prevented from adopting a life of crime. An Aug. 9, 2007, Wall Street Journal article, "As States Tackle Poverty, Preschool Gets High Marks," said pre-K funding "represents one of the most significant expansions in public education ... since World War I." Additionally, it is important to remember that pre-K is more than just the cognitive skills of reading and writing. With the implementation of No Child Left Behind and today's focus on academic studies, it is easy to overlook the social-emotional skills. As reported in Scholastic Magazine, "Some research shows that the quality of a child's social skills by age 5 accurately predicts social and academic competence in later years." The Summer 2006 Carnegie Results stated, "The most promising findings indicate that the real benefits come from nurturing non-cognitive skills — social, emotional and behavioral competencies that lead to success in later life — and that positive effects are stronger when programs begin early because initial improvements help students gain additional skills at the next stage." By age 5, children's brains are 90 percent wired. Their brains are like sponges. It takes a team — parents, teachers and other concerned adults — to keep any sponge (child's brain) from going to waste. The team must ensure that these sponges are filled with the right stuff. We, Children's Kindness Network, believe that kindness values are a good place to begin. Ted Dreier is executive director of the nonprofit Children's Kindness Network in Franklin.
By TOM CHEREDAR (4/5/2007) Moozie, a talking robotic cow, and “Farmer Ted” visited Franklin Head Start pre-school classes Wednesday to teach the group of 3- to 4-year-old children about kindness. Powerful cow sounds engulfed the classroom in the Franklin Elementary Annex building after Moozie asked everyone to moo with her. Ted Dreier created Moozie, who can move her head, eyes, ears, tail and lips. The appearance marked the launch of a new preschool curriculum that will assist teachers with "20 Fast and Easy Lessons for Teaching Kindness." The curriculum supports Moozie's message of "Always be Kind" with lessons and activities that help preschool aged children learn about showing kindness to others, animals, and the earth. Ted Dreier, Executive Director of the Children's Kindness Network, said the new curriculum will be available for nationwide distribution later this year. Dreier Takes Cows Across the Country
By Kimberly Nicoletti (8/31/2004) BRECKENRIDGE - Breckenridge resident Ted Dreier introduced Head Start kids to Moozie the cow in 1991. Since then, he has delivered seven life-size, robotic cows to locations throughout the nation to teach kids about kindness. He just received a grant from the Hoeft Family Foundation to support two new Web sites at www.moozie.com and www.childrenskindnessnetwork.org. The first has interactive kindness games for children, while the other includes materials and information for parents and teachers. The Children's Kindness Network, a nonprofit based around Moozie, has formed an education committee with faculty from the University of Wisconsin to evaluate children's books. It plans to program the cow to read 50 to 60 books to help raise reading test scores nationwide, Drier said. The nonprofit hopes to reach 300,000 children this year with Moozie's kindness message and wants to raise $150,000 to do so. Dreier has expanded his program to include Moozie kindness puppets (available at Creatures Great and Small in Breckenridge). Meadow Gold Dairy in Denver has placed Moozie on the side of its school milk cartons, which reach more than 100,000 children in Colorado. Other states that have embraced the Moozie message include Arizona, North Carolina, California, Missouri, Texas and Kansas. "Our dream is that we work with young children and they begin to understand the significance of kindness," he said. "I mean, they see so much violence, it's unbelievable. My vision is that Moozie will be as common a word in the household as Smokey the Bear and that it will be tied in with kindness - that parents will tell me when their kids hear 'Moozie wouldn't like it if you did that' they stop (misbehaving)." Moozie Helps Kids with Cancer Escape
By Kimberly Nicoletti (8/31/2004) BRECKENRIDGE - One of Breckenridge resident Ted Dreier's snippets of wisdom he gained from living on a farm is, "Uptight cows shut off their milk. Uptight people shut off their hearts." But it would be hard for anyone to shut off his or her heart watching almost 17 children - half of whom had lost their hair because of chemotherapy - sit attentively while Dreier and Moozie the cow talked to them about kindness Friday at the Carter Park pavilion in Breckenridge. The gathering was part of a 13th annual Robby's Friends weekend escape to Breckenridge for families who have a child with cancer. The volunteer organization helps children with cancer and their families enjoy life. "It's a break from the clinics and the treatments in an informal environment," said Vicky Sternicki, president of Robby's Friends, an organization Robby Ferrufino's parents started in 1990 after doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of stomach cancer. "Families don't even realize they needed a break - how intense and stressed and focused they've been on treatment. They probably wouldn't pursue these kind of activities (in Breckenridge) on their own. It gives them a respite in an environment where they can socialize with other kids and families going through the same thing." The retreat began last Thursday with a pizza and pool party at Beaver Run Resort, where owners donate rooms for families. Friday night the Red, White and Blue Fire Department sponsored a barbecue, Saturday families went to Copper's CycleFest and enjoyed kids' night out and today they can ride the alpine slide for free. Throughout the weekend, restaurants such as Hearthstone Catering and Blue River Bistro donated food. Laura Acker, mother of 5-year-old Miranda Acker who was diagnosed with leukemia in February, enjoyed Moozie the cow because she loves the animals. "After we've gone through so many weeks of treatment, it's time to have a little fun," Acker said. "We didn't get much of a summer vacation," her husband, David Acker, added. Moozie, a life-sized, robotic cow with a moving head, tail and eyes, talked about kindness for about 30 minutes. Dreier created the cow in 1990, and since then, he has sent seven other Moozies to locations throughout the nation. Last year his cows presented kindness talks to 30,000 children, he said. "I hope they have the feeling that they're very special," Dreier said about Moozie's visit with Robby's Friends. "It's something cute that kids don't learn enough of from the kindness aspect in this day and age," Sternicki said. "The television and media show so many other things. (Moozie) is real down-to-earth and simple for kids because kids are simple." Promoting Kindness With Moozie Cow
By Mandi Bollinger Local hopes life-size mechanical cow supports often-overlooked virtues; duo set to appear at Sunday BMI event. (3/29/2004) Oldtimers often commend what they call "good horse sense." As a youngster growing up on a Kansas dairy farm, Ted Dreier often eschewed such advice, and he left the farm for greener pastures. But lately, as newspaper stories tell of children committing violence, Dreier has found himself drawn back to the farm. He visits children across the state promoting what he would call "good cow sense." Dreier, who since 1971 has helped businesses improve customer service through inspirational talks, attended a creativity conference in 1990 where he first thought about seeing life through the eyes of a cow. "I thought to myself, 'Cows are creative,' " Dreier says. "They take green grass and blue water and make white milk." In 1993 he began building a mechanical, life-sized cow and taking the cow with him when speaking to corporate businesses about how to improve customer service. He also began thinking up homilies with a bovine influence. Before long, he'd compiled 500 sayings, such as "reaping success and milking cows takes daily effort." He chose about 80 of his favorites for his new pocket-size book, "Moozie's Cow Wisdom for Life's Little Beefs," sold nationwide by Barnes and Noble and local bookstores. After visiting a group of Head Start children in February, Dreier decided t focus solely on entertaining children. nbsp; Since then, he has visited schools and day-care facilities, espousing kindness with his mechanical cow, Moozie, operated by Dreier's wife, Karen, offstage. Dreier, also author of 1997's "Take Your Life Off Hold," hopes to make Moozie a national kindness promoter. Proceeds from his "Cow Wisdom" book are going into a non-profit Moozie the Cow organization dedicated to kindness. "I hope when kids see a cow, they think kindness, just like when they see a bear they think fire safety," he said. Man's Collapsible Cow Motivates Schoolkids
By Louise Applebome (3/4/2004) Ted Dreier stands with Moozie, a collapsible cow he uses to impart wisdom during programs with schoolchildren. During such a program, his wife Karen, left, operates the cow via remote control. Ted Dreier has always relied on props to make a point during his motivational talks. Early in his career, in corporate settings, it was a paper bag over his head. Today it's a collapsible cow. Mr. Dreier, known as Farmer Ted, and his trusty sidekick, Moozie Cow, visit schools across the country to " spread the milk of human kindness." Moozie conveys an attitude and a message of kindness, Mr. Dreier said, to which children respond. Mr. Dreier and his bovine buddy spoke to more than 400 kindergarten through third-graders Wednesday at Cisar Chavez Learning Center in Dallas. And with the help of children wriggling their fingers and thinking kind thoughts, Mr. Dreier was able to remove an upside-down Moozie from a suitcase, extend her legs and turn her upright. Like real cows, the 65-pound, 6-foot-long Moozie has a tail, head and ears that move, and her mouth and eyes open and close. Milk is out of the question, but she does have one cow capability like no udder ... uh, other: She talks. The motion and sound are remote-controlled by Mr. Dreier's wife, Karen, who discreetly positioned herself in the rear of the learning center's auditorium. I love talking to kids," said Mr. Dreier, 61. "The sillier you are, the better time the kids are having." So when Farmer Ted placed a neon yellow wig and oversized sunglasses on Moozie to make a point about never trying to be something you're not, the young audience howled. During his kindness presentations, Mr. Dreier stresses three main ideas: Always be kind to people and to the Earth; avoid violent video games and television programs; and believe you're perfect just the way you are. Moozie bobbed her head up and down as she told the children how sad she gets if they violate those basic tenets. Traveling with Moozie in a large suitcase has not always been part of the Dreiers' routine. In 1986, the couple decided to " take their life off hold" when they sold all their belongings and moved from a 3,100-square-foot home in Dallas to a considerably smaller one in Breckinridge, Colo. The couple agreed it was time to simplify their life. Mr. Dreier also ditched his list of corporate contacts and clients, and today he dedicates his life to taking his kindness road show to children rather than taking customer relations seminars to corporate America. He and his wife have even set up the nonprofit Kindness Foundation. "We've had a good life," Mr. Dreier said. They decided "it was time to start paying rent," he said. He created Moozie to augment his customer relations seminars. "Moozie came from a silly garage project. "Everything I learned about customer relations, I learned on the farm," said Mr. Dreier, who grew up on a dairy farm in Kansas. First, he added overalls to his corporate seminars and later decided a cow onstage with him might make an impact. However, in 1998, when a Denton preschool invited him and Moozie to visit, he realized that his sidekick should be talking to children, not adults. "The kids were glued to this cow," Mr. Dreier said. "They wanted to pet and kiss Moozie." The young audience on Wednesday was also riveted. They gave Farmer Ted guidance when it came time to attach Moozie's head and waved to their neighbors in a unanimous show of kindness.
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