Strong hands

Shamelessly stealing good ideas from across the hall, I told my students that there are 2 reasons that they need to color their pictures in all the way.  Reason #1 is that it makes the picture more interesting (and really, it does).  Reason #2 is that it makes their hands stronger, to do all that hard work (and training their hands to hold those small crayons/pencils).  If their hands are sore, I tell them, it's only because their muscles are working and making their hands stronger.

So, this is more cute than anything else, but as I was passing by a table of working students, one of them looks up at me.  Rubbing his hands, he says enthusiastically, "Mr. Graham!  I can feel it!  My hands are getting stronger!"  And immediately his entire table clamors for attention, too.  "Me, too!"  "Right!"  "Mine too!"

I do like my job a whole bunch.