#GonnaMissYou”RivvBit”

Have you ever thought about how📱+📚+🌎=🙇‍♀️

You don’t have to be a grown up to care deeply about another person, or to have wishes bigger than the present moment. Kids can have those feelings too. Kids can understand the power of being there for each other and encourage each other’s dreams. I’d say one of my best qualities, is my heart. It’s open to the possibility any dream can happen. I don't think I'm unusual; most kids have open hearts.

This week, I worked really hard to create a promo video for my school visits. I combed through loads of pictures, video clips, tweets, and emails trying to find just the right content. I hope I captured the feeling that happens when I visit schools to share my LivBit message. You can watch it here: https://vimeo.com/266234532

As I was searching, I thought about the feelings I GET from visiting different schools and the feeling I hope to GIVE during a visit as well. I could simplify the feelings by saying they are full of heartbeeps. But, I know, people might not know exactly what I mean. So, let me explain a bit more by describing some “heartbeepy” examples of why kids teaching each other is so important.

In Ohio, I met a kindergartner who followed me around her classroom and kept sneaking up and hugging me from behind. She whispered, “Can’t believe you’re really here, LivBit!” Except she actually called me “RivvBittt” which made my heartbeep even more for her. Her hugs were a reminder of how powerful my LivBit videos are even to the youngest students. I learned while I was visiting, this little girl doesn’t always have people outside of school who encourage her reading and thinking. I felt determined to keep a connection going even after I left her school. I’m lucky one of her teachers sends me videos of her, and I send videos back.

Just recently, I was sent videos by kids in Massapequa, NY. They made them as a sort of endorsement encouraging other schools to have me visit. The coolest part about receiving these videos is, it wasn’t an assignment from their teacher, it was something these kids did on their own time. Each time I watched the videos, (and I watched each of them about 100 times), I thought about how incredible it was to see kids who were passionate about my message, so much so, they encouraged other schools to have me visit! Another Massapequa student actually wrote an entire book about me and then sent videos explaining the book and why she wrote it.

Last night, one of the teachers from Tadlock Elementary, the school I visited last week in Frisco, TX, sent me a sneak peak of a video she created with her staff as a way to encourage the kids to do well on the Texas Standardized Test. I felt proud she included me in the video doing some of my crazy floss dancing, because I know the kids will love it! And, it will also keep me connected to them for longer than just the day I visited. School visits have the power to go on and on. All kids need is access to tech and permission to keep sharing.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from LivBits is how much learning can happen when you see the world as your classroom. Being a connected learner means having opportunities to learn from kid activists, authors, scientists, ballerinas, and people I admire and wish to be like. It also means having the privilege to visit schools and work with kids and teachers sharing my message #KidsCanTeachUs. It means being inspired by those people too!

I’d say the one downside of being a connected learner is the amount of time I spend missing people. My heart is filled with A LOT of missing. I’d say sometimes equal parts love, equal parts missing. But, the missing piece is the price you pay for sharing your story with the world. Once you share your story, it doesn’t belong to just you anymore; it belongs to the world. When you share your story, you become responsible to other people, and this means you have to open your heart to hear their stories too. All this leads to a whole lot of missing feelings. Those feelings squished together are what create heartbeeps.

I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t have desires and wishes to do something good for the world. It’s just each kid shows desire in different ways. So, if you’re a grown up reading this, and you’re wishing for more heartbeeps, just find a kindergartener and ask them about something they love. I PROMISE! You’ll find some heartbeeps by listening to them.

I was reminded about the power of my own heartbeeps from my kindergartener “RivvBit” friend who lives in Ohio, but also lives in my heart now, too; by my Massapequa friends who sent me video heartbeeps; for sure, by my Tadlock teacher, who sent me heartbeeps, too when she valued my flossing skills; and in all my missing feelings, there are sooooo many heartbeeps just waiting to be noticed.

Your world is filled with heartbeeps; you just have to look closely to see them. When you see them, you’re changed forever and ever, ever. So, embrace the missing. I promise, it’s worth it.

Keep reading! Keep thinking! And, thank you for following LivBits!