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Kindness

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National Kindness day 

“World Kindness Day is a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world” (Inspire Kindness.com).

National Kindness Day is on November 13th of every year. “The purpose of National Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community and represent kindness as the common thread that unites us all” (world kindness movement.org). 

4 Benefits to teaching children Kindness:

  1. Increase in feelings of Happiness: The good feelings that we experience when being kind are produced by endorphins. They activate areas of the brain that are associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. These feelings of joyfulness are proven to be contagious, encouraging more kind behavior by the giver and recipient. 
  2. Improved Health & Less Stress: There are a number of physical and mental health benefits that can be achieved by being kind. Altruistic actions trigger a release of the hormone oxytocin, which can significantly increase a person’s level of happiness and reduce stress levels.
  3. Greater Sense of Belonging & Improved Self Esteem: Even small acts of kindness create feelings of self-worth and belonging. Acts of kindness increase energy and give a feeling of optimism. 
  4. Increased Feelings of Gratitude: Being kind and generous helps children appreciate what they have, makes them feel useful, and fosters empathy.

4 Tips for teaching children to be kind: 

  1. Help them understand what kindness means: Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. When discussing kindness with children use examples from their life to illustrate what kindness is and the importance of kindness. 
  2. Model Kindness: As children get older, they will watch how you treat people, from subtle interactions, such as saying thank you, to more tangible acts of kindness, like bringing a meal to a sick neighbor.
  3. Encourage Kind Habits: Help your children match the somewhat abstract concept of kindness with the many concrete verbs that enact it: sharing, volunteering, giving, including, comforting, supporting, compromising, listening, and noticing when someone could use help.
  4. Understand that Kindness isn’t always easy: It is important to remind children that kindness is hard sometimes, It doesn’t always come naturally, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not kind. It can be challenging to be generous with a sibling. It can be scary to stick up for a friend or a classmate who isn’t being treated right. It can feel awkward to offer condolences to a grieving person. It can be confusing to know how to act with a person who’s differently abled, either neurologically or physically. It is important to discuss with your children how in these situations, even though it can be difficult, it is still important to act in kindness. 

7 Acts of Kindness you & your children can Incorporate into your Daily Life:

  1. Send an uplifting message to a friend or family member
  2. Stop and help someone that needs it  
  3. Go slightly outside of your comfort zone to make someone smile 
  4. Share a compliment with another person
  5. Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while 
  6. Hold the door open for someone else  
  7. Show yourself some kindness!