Kind Kiddos
Let’s face it. Raising children is hard. And the work involved almost never stops. But there are few better joys than the universal exhale that comes from a proud mom or dad when they realize they’ve raised a good human being. Not much else matters at that point. All the test scores, college admissions and athletic prowess they strived for (or not) goes out the window when you know that you’ve helped to raise a person who brings goodness to the world.
So how do busy parents get to that exhale moment? We’ve asked around and most say that modeling kindness is a key ingredient. Here are some ideas on small acts of kindness you can join in with your children as they grow.
SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS - FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN
• Make a special drawing and surprise someone with it
• Call an out of town relative on the phone or FaceTime
• Leave a happy note for the mailman
• Make a friendship bracelet and give it away
• Play with a new friend
• Give someone a compliment
• Make drawings, crafts or cookies to take to a retirement home
• Make homemade bookmarks and leave them at your local library
• Look for someone who is alone at recess or lunch and invite them to join you
• Help a friend with their project
• Pick up mail for a neighbor
• Lend someone your favorite book
• Play with a friend’s little brother/sister
• Take a garbage bag when you go on a walk or to the park and pick up trash
• Offer to be a mother’s helper for a neighbor with a new baby
• Donate old clothes or toys to a younger friend
• Donate stuffed animals to your local fire or police station
• Give a treat to your crossing guard at your school
• Bring a treat in for your school lunchroom team
• Offer to pull out and put up an elderly neighbor's garbage cans each week
• Give someone a compliment
• Look in the mirror and say three positive things about yourself
• Write positive messages on sticky notes and leave them for others to find
• Ask a friend how they are doing and really listen to them without bringing up something about yourself
• Help with household chores
• Visit the nearest little library and donate a book
• Share a favorite memory with a loved one
• Celebrate someone you love
• Make someone laugh
• Hug your family members
• Tell your family you love them
SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS - FOR YOUTH
• Make a card and send it to an out-of-town friend or family member
• Call an out of town relative on the phone or FaceTime
• Check in with a friend who is having a hard time
• Make drawings or crafts or cookies to take to a retirement home
• Leave a happy note for the mailman
• Make a friendship bracelet and give it away
• Visit the nearest little library and donate a book
• Make homemade bookmarks and leave them at your local library
• Write positive messages on sticky notes and leave them for others to find
• Give someone a compliment
• Look in the mirror and say three positive things about yourself
• Lend someone your favorite book
• Invite a new student in your class to hang out with you after school
• Look for someone who is alone at lunch and invite them to join you
• Challenge yourself to write only positive comments online
• Share an uplifting song on social media
• Help another student with their project or homework
• Pick up mail for a neighbor
• Play with a friend’s little brother/sister
• Offer to be a mother’s helper for a neighbor with a new baby
• Donate old clothes or toys to a younger friend or a charity
• Donate unwanted stuffed animals to your local fire or police station
• Bring a treat to share with your class
• Bake cookies and leave them in the teacher’s lounge or the main office at school
• Offer to pull out and put up an elderly neighbor's garbage cans each week
• Do yard work for free for a neighbor in need
• Babysit for free for someone in need
• Walk a neighbor’s dog for them
• Pet sit for a neighbor or friend
• Offer to water a neighbor’s plants for them while they are out of town
• Be on the lookout for other students who are alone, and invite them to do things with you and your friends
• Offer to carry groceries for a neighbor who could use help
• Help your parents with cooking, cleaning, yard work, pet care or other tasks around the house that you haven’t been asked to do
• Take a CPR training or first aid course so you can help someone in an emergency
• Return a lost item to its owner
• Celebrate someone you love
• Share a favorite memory with a loved one
• Make someone laugh
• Tell your family you love them