A little bit of kindness can go a long way. You’re encouraged to not only practice kindness towards others, but remember to be kind to yourselves. It’s easy to get down with today’s environment and abundant access to information via social media and the Internet.
We all make mistakes, but tend to stew over those until we allow them to dominate our thoughts. Sometimes we have to learn to let things go and move on. Our kindness shouldn’t be limited either. Express kindness to our partners, children, sibling to sibling, classmates, and peers. Children learn love and kindness from the adults in their lives. The earlier they learn about expressing feelings about empathy – especially understanding what other people are doing and feeling and thinking – and making a habit of being kind, then the easier it becomes for them to do that throughout their lifespan.
Research tells us that people who practice kindness and gratitude are healthier, happier, and better adjusted people. Children who have an orientation toward fear and suspicion often get that through early experiences. It is possible to overcome some of the things faced earlier in your life, but that mountain of bad experiences is easier to overcome when outweighed with positive and kind experiences.
At home is the best place to express love, comfort and support children in ways that are healthy. That caring and kind future begins with a strong family foundation at home. The home is a great place to leverage the chance to really talk about how much you love and support your child, while making them feel loved and included. During the holidays parents and guardians can feel like they do things for their children and rarely have things done for them. Kindness and caring at home give you a chance to provide gratitude for the love you feel toward your children, but also the love you receive from them. It’s a great opportunity to help children understand that they’re a partner in the relationship. Children bring us joy and a feeling of love and satisfaction, and they should know that it’s not just a one-way street. It’s empowering for them. It helps them understand that they’re not just being acted on by the world, but they can act on the world, as well. A little kindness goes a long way.
Information comes from Kansas State University child development specialist, Bradford Wiles.
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