Theme
Kindness
kind·ness
/ˈkīn(d)nəs/
noun
- the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Similar:
affection
warmth
gentleness
tenderness
concern
care
Kind acts can be seen all around us
Whether shining through a smile, the assistance of a helping hand, being patient or using manners, you can spread kindness. What acts of kindness have you seen? Maybe you remember a time that someone was kind to you. Kindness can be contagious, one act causing another and so on. Have you walked by and given a smile to a stranger? Did they smile back? Has your family visited those who are home bound and brightened their day? How did it make you feel? Would this world be a better place if we were kinder to each other? Try some everyday and see how it changes your feelings as well as those around you.
By being kind to people, whether they are family, friends, or strangers, we are connecting with them, making them feel seen. This in turn has been shown to increase feelings of social connection and decrease negative biases. Practicing kindness can make a big world feel a bit smaller, even for just a few moments. Start with your own actions and be an example.
It is never too early to practice caring and kind behavior with our children, and it just might be that through these small gestures we, as parents, can help make this world (that our kids will someday inherit) a little more kind. Talk to your child about what acts of kindness you have experienced and how those acts made you feel. Children love being helpers at a very early age, let them help you deliver acts of kindness to friends and family. Explore the variety of ways you and your child can make a difference in someone’s day.
Suggested Reading List
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
- I Walk with Vanessa by KerascoeËt
- A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
- How Kind! By Mary Murphy
- The Nice Book by David Ezra Stein
- Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Pena
- Have You Filled a Bucket Today? : a guide to daily happiness for kids by Carol McCloud (also available in Spanish and French)
- Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
- Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson (also available in Spanish)
- Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt (also available in Spanish)
- Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
- Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (also available in Spanish)