Unkindness isn’t new.
It is more important than ever that we teach children to be kind to others.
Being judgemental is something that comes easy to all of us. It’s been practised for several years. The biggest disadvantage is the impact it has on young minds. In this technologically led era, kids are exposed to tech and social media from an early age. They are learning from what they see around them. And because they are too young to differentiate between what’s right and wrong, they may fall prey to behaviours like meanness, exclusion and even bullying at times.
So as parents, it’s our responsibility to make sure to encourage kindness in kids and incorporate some good practices in their everyday routine.
✔️ Be a good role model
Parents can set a good example for their children. So always watch your behaviour.
✔️ Encourage your child to say kinds words
Greeting properly, being polite and apologising are essential ingredients of healthy growing up.
✔️ Focus on the positive
Teaching your kids to see the positive side of everything is also a good lesson of kindness. Things like appreciation, praise and learning to look at everybody with equal eyes are of vital importance.
✔️ Discourage negative or inappropriate behaviour
It’s not uncommon among children anymore. Guiding them to not criticise their peers and elders or passing comments on character, body type, status, clothes or anything for that matter.
✔️ Be aware
With the growing social media exposure and consumption, be vigilant about the kind of content that your child is watching or reading online. Precaution is always better than cure.
To nurture kindness in kids, be sure to practice these points and see the difference in a matter of few days.