Kindness for Kids: Kindness starts with you.

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE, TEACH THEM WELLNumerous songs abound exhorting the importance of treating and teaching children well, because they are our future. If we want children to be kind then we must first be kind ourselves and extend our kindness out toward others.

FOLLOW MY LEADERChildren learn best by our example, so guard your thoughts, words, deeds and actions, and ensure they are the most kind at all times. Actions do speak louder than words so if you want kind kids, be the kindest person you can be first. At best you will have little angels who naturally emulate you; at worst you aren’t a hypocrite when you exhort them to be kinder. So big or small, great or humble, think of all the ways you can lead your kids in paths of greater kindness.

GENEROSITY OF SPIRITKindness is an aspect of generosity of spirit. Every day we have an opportunity to practice kindness from the smallest to the biggest acts. During the holiday seasons we have even greater opportunities, because at the core of most of these seasons are thanksgivings and seasons of goodwill with opportunities to show kindness through acts and good wishes.

WHAT KINDNESS IS
Kindness is about helping others and spreading a good feeling too. From greetings of good wishes to positive actions, holiday seasons are extra opportunities to be kind and spread good cheer all around. Christmas, for example, is the season of goodwill toward all humankind and is about honoring the birth of a very special child. In the Muslim world, Eid al-Alha is about a father’s love for God and his family . Although Ibrahim (aka Abraham) was ready to sacrifice his son for God, at the last minute God said to sacrifice a ram. During Eid, rams and other animals are sacrificed and one-third of the meat is distributed to poorer people. Giving to the poor in this manner is an act of kindness. During the Christmas season, some churches put together food parcels and volunteers deliver these to people who they think may appreciate some extra food during this time, usually retirees. Going the extra mile is an exhortation to be kinder and to do more for others.

CHARITY AUDIT
Whoever coined the phrase Charity begins at home really gets to the core of where kindness starts. Charity is love in action, is kindness in action and the home is where values are observed and learnt. Do you ever run down your spouse? Think again, that is not kind. Sometimes we don’t even realize when we are not being kind. So before we can expect kindness, we must be beacons of kindness ourselves. Find ways to be kind and involve your kids. For example, a neighbor who needs help. Ask your kids what could be done to lend a hand.

POSITIVE SIDE
Kindness and being kind keeps us on the positive side of life. If you would like to make a positive contribution to life, expressing kindness helps to achieve that. Even when it seems that nothing will make a difference, kindness may and can. Everyone’s day will be brighter if you add a dose of kindness.

BLESSING FOR GREATER KINDNESS
B: Be a beacon of kindness. Bless everyone with your kind thoughts, words, actions and deeds.
L: Learn to be kind at all time and lead your children in ways of kindness.
E: Encourage everyone to be kind by being the personification of kindness yourself. Expect kindness and always reciprocate with kindness whether you perceive the other person as kind or not.
S: Songs of kindness are legion. Sing a song of kindness always.
S: Slices of life will taste so much better with a dose of kindness added.

Y: You have an opportunity to improve the world every time you are kind, so do be as kind as you can be.
O: Overlook the past, overlook others lack of kindness and encourage kindness by your good example of kindness. A kind word really can brighten up the day.
U: Untold kindness is within your grasp to give, so just do it: be kind always.