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Well, hello, Enza.
We are so thrilled that you could join us on the podcast today.
Thanks for coming.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi, my name is Enza.
I am nine years old and I'm going to fourth grade.
I love to do theater and musical theater.
I love cats and I don't really love to do sports.
I'm not very sporty.
And that's okay.
So you're an arts kind of kid.
You like the arts.
Yes, my daughter's the same way.
And arts can also be very challenging, just like sports are.
So how many cats do you have?
I have two.
Aw, what are their names?
Tilly and Voodoo.
Oh, I love those names.
How old are they?
Tilly is one year and Voodoo is also one year.
So they're about the same age.
And so they must be awake a lot at night because they are young and full of energy.
They're so crazy at nighttime.
Pets are awesome.
So can you give us an example of how you are a good role model to others?
I am a good role model because I am a very good listener.
And I don't talk back to anybody.
I do what I'm supposed to do and I do what I'm told.
Oh, that's really sweet.
It sounds to me though, if you did have something you wanted to say, it wouldn't even be considered talking back, because you do have such a pleasant tone.
And I'm sure you would say it in a way that is respectful to others.
Is there a specific time when you showed someone or a group of people how to do something by doing it yourself?
One time my friend made a mistake that she didn't know that she was making.
And when she found out the mistake, everybody was chasing around the playground and was just getting mad at her.
So I stuck up for my friend and I could tell that that just comforted her.
And a lot of my other friends stuck up for her to enjoy me.
I think, just because I have taught for so long Enza, I think recess, playground time, sometimes even cafeteria time, they can be some of the hardest times of the day.
Yes, I do not really like those times because that's where all the drama goes on.
And that's a good word for it.
But I think what you did was when you advocated for your friend, when you stood up for her, you showed others that
I kind of agree with Enza.
What she did really wasn't bad.
And they appreciated the fact that you spoke up about it.
Good for you.
Thank you.
Is there anything you would change about that day or the way you handled yourself that day?
I would change of how quick I tried to stick up.
Because I was just watching it go on for a really long time before.
And I could see that she was really sad.
So I just would have stuck up. before earlier.
That's what being a good role model is all about because, even though you're trying to help her, you could honestly say to yourself that there is something that you would do different, maybe to help her even more.
Should it happen again and maybe it will, just because kids are kids and school is school and that recess time is kind of an unstructured time.
It's not like being in the classroom.
Next time, you probably would act sooner.
That's a really good thought.
When you think of people that you look up to, a leader that you might admire.
Who is someone and why?
The person who I admire is my big cousin, Cammy.
She is just so nice to everyone she knows.
She always offers to help and she gives it her best effort into everything she does.
And you can always count on her to do the right thing.
Oh, I love that.
How old is she?
She is...
Going into ninth grade, so she's 14.
Okay.
And 14, heading into high school, can be a really busy time for tweens and teenagers.
So I love that you look up to her during both of these periods of your lives.
Does she know that you look up to her that way?
I don't think so.
Sometime when you think it would be the best time for you, you should tell her.
I'm sure she would love to know.
It's a compliment to her, too.
In our very busy world that pulls us in all different kinds of places, whether it's kids behaving or misbehaving at recess or homework, or wanting to go with friends to have a play date or see a movie, seeing what's on social media or television.
How do you think that we can actually be our best true selves?
I think we can be our best selves and just being ourselves in general, by just doing what we like to do and doing what makes us happy.
Like yeah, you still have to follow the rules, but that doesn't mean that you have to be someone who you're not.
Like, you don't have to change yourself to be someone who... you don't want to be.
The way you're describing it too.
We take the stress off of ourselves by just being ourselves and not trying to be someone that we really aren't.
What excites you the most, my dear, about moving forward into fourth grade and beyond?
I get really excited for every new year.
Because I'm just looking forward to a new experience and a new journey that I've been taken to.
And I love to learn and I love to learn new things and try new things.
So I just get very excited whenever I try something new.
If listeners wanted to get in touch with you, what would be the best way?
My mom has an Instagram of me.
So the best choice to go with is with my mom's Instagram.
Well, Enza, thank you so much for joining us today.
What a delightful person you are.
And we look forward to sharing your story.
Thanks for joining us.
You're welcome.
Listen to Mitch and Claire's picture book recommendations.
For more information and some cool discussion questions, visit thelittleleaderspodcastcom or at the Little Leaders Podcast on Instagram.
Our first picture book spotlight is on.
You Can Be a Good Friend No Matter What, written by Taraji P Henson and illustrated by Paul Kellum.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
From award-winning actress and mental health advocate, Taraji P Henson, shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience and love.
In this debut picture book from Taraji P Henson quirky, stylish and a bit off the cuff, little TJ is ready for her first day of school.
But when she gets there, TJ finds that everything she does is a little different than everyone else and she's standing out in all the wrong ways.
Once TJ's classmate Bo notices, he relentlessly teases her.
TJ is filled with anxiety and doubt until she recalls some important words of wisdom from her grandma, Patsy.
When she looks inside to her own creativity and personality, She figures out how to help herself, make new friends and help someone else too.
Our next picture book spotlight is on Stick, written and illustrated by Diane Alber.
A heartwarming story about finding your place in the world.
Sticks is about a popsicle that accidentally melts and becomes just a plain stick.
He had a hard time adjusting to his new normal.
But with the help of some new friends, who happened to be Styx too, he realized that everything has happened for a reason and that melting was part of his journey.
Styx is a story that almost anyone can relate to.
It's about finding yourself in a situation that didn't turn out like you expected and having your friends and family help you find the courage to pick yourself back up and persevere.
The Little Leaders Podcast is written, edited, and produced by me, Tina Shepardson.
Thank you to Mitch and Claire, our little co-hosts, for today's picture book recommendations.
Follow us wherever podcasts are found and leave us a rating or review.
Your time and effort helps others discover us and attract new listeners.
Our podcast artwork was created by Tara Hannon.
Music is from Pond5 and podcast hosting is by Libsyn.
Take care, everyone.
Keep reading and keep leading.
