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Kindness! An eight-letter word that it seems like everyone could use a lot more of nowadays. In the dictionary (Oxford, to be exact) kindness is a noun that means: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. The world seems to be a much more enjoyable place when there are more kind people in it, and what better way to ensure that happens than nurturing your sweet children and leading them into being kind adults. We believe that everyone has the potential to be kind! So here are 5 fun ways to teach your children to practice kindness this year.
As kids get older, they start to learn more about our Earth in their elementary and middle school science classes. Some classes start fun projects like a class garden, class compost, and class recycling! If your kids’ classes don’t offer these exciting and educational activities, implementing them in your home can be a great way to teach your children how to show kindness to the world around them! Recycling is probably the easiest idea in this category — just grab a small bin from a grocery store (Target run!) and let your kids have fun painting and decorating it. Sort your bottles, cans, paper, and plastic products out from the rest of your waste and take the occasional trip to a local recycling plant! Some even offer monetary compensation in exchange for your recycling! If you want to take that a step further, pick up two bins on your Target run and make sure one has a lid. Use the bin with a lid to create a compost bin for your kitchen! In here goes food waste and things like eggshells and coffee grounds. If you have house plants or a garden, compost makes great fertilizer for them! Check out this video on how to make sure your compost bin is a success!
The best way to teach your sweet kids to be kind adults is to lead by example. Going out of your way to show your family extraordinary kindness and including your children in on the fun is a surefire way to get them excited about being kind. Have everyone in the house take the love language test and see what acts make them feel the most loved. If it is physical touch, make sure to give them an extra-long squeeze and encourage your children to do the same. If it is words of affirmation, tell them how amazing they are, and have your kids follow your lead. Eventually, they will be so excited about making their siblings and parents happy, they will hopefully display kindness all on their own!
Let’s be real, even as adults, sharing can be tough. When your kid wants one of your french fries after they swore they weren’t hungry, you have to admit that you want to say no. But, sharing is caring, even if our automatic reaction isn’t to be the Mother Theresa of french fries. Teaching your children the “why” of why it’s good to share can be so beneficial in helping them show empathy and kindness at a young age. It’s 100% up to you what you choose to tell your kids about sharing, and how you want to teach them. Here is a fantastic early education blog about 10 great tips you can use for teaching about sharing!
Loving yourself and being kind to yourself is one of the most important yet most challenging forms of kindness there is. Teaching your kids how to show self-kindness at a young age could be absolutely vital to their wellbeing and mental health as they enter the difficult teen years. One of the best ways to teach self-kindness and confidence is by creating daily affirmations and repeating them with your child in the mirror as your child gets ready in the morning. Some great examples are “I am super smart. I am beautiful/handsome. I have a big heart. My brain is good at learning. I am funny and fun to be around.” This is another area of like where your kids could successfully learn by example. If you are kind to yourself when you look in the mirror and know they are watching: i.e. “I look good” instead of “Ugh I look fat/ugly/etc.”
No matter which, if any, of these methods you choose to teach your kids kindness, feel free to tweak and adjust them to fit the needs of your family! Every kid is different and they will each respond best to different options. We hope these work for you and help you enter the New Year with kindness. From the Kamali’i family to yours, Happy New Year and may your family stay safe and healthy.