Compromise

Compromise is a trait that every child – nay, every person – should know and use every day. Think about it. Does anyone ever get absolutely everything they want? Of course not. It's what we do with the inability to have our way that matters though. Whether we throw tantrums, get angry, walk away, sulk, or simply do what we want anyway, our actions and reactions are setting examples for our kids. So we better pay attention! Communicating, negotiating, working together to find common ground in a reasonable, peaceful way – this is what compromise is about. How deep you take this subject – compromising with oneself, when compromise can't be reached, etc. – is up to you. But a basic understanding is a good place to start. That's where this song can come in. It's definitely a cross curricular topic, too, so be sure to let other teachers know you have this as a learning tool.

The song is pretty light and bouncy with easy-to-learn lyrics that express the message in a fun way. There are even optional snaps that keep things lighthearted. At the coda, separate your singers into two groups to do the back and forth declarations. Have them face each other for this part. If using in a performance, when they come to the final line at measure 29, they can either nod at each other in agreement, tap their heads with their fingers to represent "wise," or shake hands briefly (until the snaps come back in). This type of simple movement would also work during the section at measure 9 each time.