[With a special shout-out to Bestselling Author, Robert Fulghum, whose “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” served as inspiration for this writing. ~NBP]

[The 4-H Version]

An Ode to the Four “H’s” Which Form the Foundation of the Life Skills Targeted to Youth.

HEAD

Learn a new skill. Maybe become a Zoom meetings expert. Master sourdough bread-making (do not fear if you have run out of store-bough yeast). Sew a facial mask. Learn about 4-H in other states, virtually, of course. [Brains are elastic, and this time of COVID-19 is stretching our brains to think in new ways.]

HEART

Reach out to those you love and TELL THEM how you feel. (Think Wacky Uncle Wilbur who lives many miles away.) Tell your school teacher. Tell your pastor or priest or rabbi. Tell your fellow 4-H club members or leaders. Tell “essential workers”, since who could have predicted how much our friends in the grocery stores would come to be everyday heroes, too!

HANDS

Make something that lasts. Build a compost pile. Fix that fence you have been meaning to repair. Check in on and help a neighbor. Pick up trash. Provide food for a struggling family who may be less fortunate than you.

HEALTH

Social distancing is here to stay for a while so: Wash your hands. Wear your face mask. Sneeze into your elbow. Eat lots of fruits and veggies. Sleep more. Go for a walk. Stress less, laugh more. Breathe.

A worldwide pandemic is forcing residents in nearly every country of the world to re-examine their lives in many unexpected ways. The coronavirus can be a horrible tragedy, or it can be an opportunity to grow and evolve. Every day we make choices which may improve our future. 4-H will be there to help youth from all over the globe do just that.

For the most updated information from UF/IFAS Extension regarding COVID-19, please visit HERE.

If you would like to learn about 4-H Youth Development Extension Resources for “staying-at-home”, please visit HERE.

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