WEEK 2

THERE'S NO "JUST"

Last week I read this book to Grayson. He listened to about half, then he asked if there were pictures. There aren't. He stayed anyway.

Here's the first thing. I am not just a kid. I'm not just a girl, or just a helper, or just the big sister.

"Just" is a word people use to make something sound small. People say my mom is "just a mom." She runs our whole house. Four kids. All the schedules. She knows which cup Millie wants before Millie knows. That's not small.

So when somebody says "just" about me, I'm going to smile and say the real thing.

HERE'S WHAT I'M SAYING OUT LOUD THIS WEEK:

"I'm not just anything. I'm Harper."

HERE'S WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEK:

Catching one "just" and taking it out of the sentence. Even if it's mine.

PRACTICE FIRST:

Say it to the mirror. Then say it to your family, on tape. Then say it for real.

Mirror, then with the family on tape (a grown-up's phone, private album called Practice), then for real.

WRITE IT IN

The "just" I caught

Who said it (it's okay if it was me)

The real thing, without the "just"

My practice tape (date)

Saved on this device only. Nothing leaves your phone or computer.