As parents we want our children to be polite, caring and kind. We want them to understand how a kind word, deed or thought can make all of the difference. And we want others to be kind to our children in return. Luckily the desire to help and comfort is innate, and empathy is one of human kinds’ most enduring traits. Studies have actually shown that when we practice acts of kindness— toward our friends, families, children, and even our communities – we feel better about ourselves and our outlook on life improves. And as children learn to be caring and kind, they also benefit developmentally. After all, well-liked children often exhibit more positive behaviors, including less bullying behavior when they are older. So how exactly do you encourage and foster these traits in your children? This infographic from I See Me shares some great thoughts on how to encourage kindness in children.
As a parent, I see many great points in this infographic concerning how to encourage kindness in children. One of the points that stood out the most for me was the point about encouraging your child to do small random aacts of kindness. It seems like this is something you just do not see happening much anymore, but it is something I want to instill in my child. Of course the easiest way to do this is by demonstrating the bhavior myself. So from this point on, I am going to challnege myself to do one small act of kindness per day. Even if it something as small as offering someone a compliment, it can make a huge difference!
What will you do to help encourage kindness in children?