Empathy Zinger

One day I taught a 2nd grade class a lesson on empathy. After our story was over, we were discussing ways that our world would be improved if everybody would put themselves in other people's shoes and treat them the way they'd want to be treated. Children said that we wouldn't have robbers and wars and bullies. We wouldn't have children having to go to the principal's office. We wouldn't have playground and bus issues. As a fitting end to the conversation, one freckle-faced girl with big blue eyes raised her hand, and in all innocent seriousness, said, "And Miss Mimi, we wouldn't need you!"