Teaching Children Kindness

How important is character and values for the development of our children? A strong character and strong values are the critical skills and mindset that enables success in school and in life.

Character enables us to live a life that is as good for others as it is for us.
Kindness is one of the most essential soft skills that we can teach our children. When we teach our children compassion, it becomes a moral compass that will guide most of their future decisions.
When we act kindly toward others, the benefits go both ways. Small, thoughtful acts—like helping, sharing, listening can change both how we are perceived and how we see ourselves.
When children are encouraged to be kind, others want to spend more time around them. Not only does kindness strengthen social relationships, but it also shows that our choices have an impact and that we have valuable skills.
Research shows that children tend to imitate role models with whom they have more in common. So, if we want our children to be kind, we will have to learn to be more kind ourselves. Also, kindness is contagious. When we see other people being kind, we tend to act more kindly too, and so do our children.

How do we teach our children kindness?

When being helpful to others, talk about why you are doing it. When you notice kind behavior, try to make clear why it is so generous.

Planning what to do in future situations, how to act kindly in particular situations can help the children make a decision more naturally when they arise.

We can teach our children to pay attention to what other people want or need and help them find how they can help.
Teach them to do small favors for others, share what they have, or simply listen when a friend needs them.

Teach children politeness, especially towards our helpers, our maids and our drivers. Our most kind behavior should be towards those who are below us, and our children will learn the same from us.

Being kind to animals, plants, and everything else in our environment is a small act of kindness that once ingrained in children will beautify their character.