When our kids were growing up, we had so many dreams for them: to be healthy, to be successful, and to find joy. One of the values we hoped to instill in them was kindness. We received this value from our parents when we were constantly told, "treat others how you would want to be treated."
In this modern world of social media where people often say unkind things, how can we expect this new generation to understand kindness?
What brings me hope is CBS reporter Steve Hartman who with his kids started a series called Kindness 101 for CBS Sunday Mornings. In this series, Steve and his kids share stories from around the country of kids who have been kind. Started during the pandemic this series has blossomed and there is now a curriculum that is being taught in elementary schools around the country. What I love most, is how watching the stories encourages other kids to be kind.
What can we do as parents? Of course, the best way is to model good behavior. Treat those closest to you with kindness, your spouse, your siblings, and of course your kids. Save this webpage, kindness101.com to your bookmarks and do the lessons with your kids. Follow the series on YouTube and watch with your family. Talk about what you see and how they can take some of the ideas and put them into action. This will likely be a time your kids will share when others are unkind to them, or what they have observed at school. Here are some tips for those conversations.
Listen. Ask questions without judgment. Don't jump to conclusions. Keep your own emotions out of the conversation.
This is not a time to rescue or fix the problem. This is a time to help your children learn from these experiences. Ask them what they wish they would of said or done differently. They will learn from these conversations and be ready to react if and when it happens again.
Be compassionate. This is a great time for a cuddle. Physical touch creates good endorphins. Your child might embody how they felt in the moment. Help them identify how those feelings are showing up in their body. Teach them to breathe slowly until the feelings slowly go away.
For more reading
Teaching kindness - https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/harperkids/6-tips-for-teaching-kids-kindness
Enjoy the journey,
Sanders Coaching Team
@stevehartmanCBS
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