Smile. As author William Arthur Ward said, “A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” By seeing you smile at other people (whether it’s your spouse or a next-door neighbor you happen to see while getting your mail), children can learn that a smile can be a powerful way to spread kindness.
Perform your own acts of kindness. When you’re paying for your gas, ask the clerk how their day is going or let someone with fewer items go ahead of you in the grocery store check-out line. You might not think that your child picks up on this type of behavior but they do.
“Teach children how to share.” Helice shared this piece of advice with us on Facebook and we couldn’t agree more. Reading friendship-themed books such as Should I Share My Ice Cream? can be helpful in teaching children how to be generous.
Talk about ways to help friends: If your child’s friend or classmate is having a hard time, ask your child for ways she thinks she might be able to help. This can be a very useful way to teach them how to build meaningful friendships. You might ask, “How do you think Sam feels?” “What do you think you can do to help?”
Validate positive behaviors: When you see your child treat someone with kindness or care, express your appreciation. Say, “I noticed how patient you were when Kate was feeling frustrated. I think that really made her feel better.”
Celebrate the helpers. When you hear about someone doing a kind deed for other people, share the story with your child, recommends Parents.com. It will get them thinking about the acts of service they could do themselves.
I love this, start with the children, I did and my kids and their friends are amazing.
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