― Annie Lennox
Scientists
have found that we have an innate tendency toward kindness. But as with most inherent gifts or qualities,
kindness needs to be nurtured and encouraged.
When
I asked a friend, who is a pre-school teacher, how she teaches kindness to her
young students, she said: "By
example! Do to them what you would want
done to you. The greatest commandment
God gave us!"
Another
friend who works as an elementary school teacher wrote: "I'm with children all day. I don't know
any other way to be with them than patient and kind. And, I preach kindness to
my students any chance I get. It's
funny... I made a little memory book with my kids the last week of school and
there was a page in it where they had to write about me, their teacher. There was a question ... 'What have you learned
from your teacher this year?' A couple
of my kids, rather than naming a subject, a skill, etc., put 'kindness.' I couldn't believe it! One little girl, for the question 'What did
you love the most about your teacher?' responded, 'Her kind heart.' That really brought me joy!"
My
hope with our family's summer project on kindness is to encourage kindness in
our family, both an attitude of kindness and specific
kind acts. I want to make sure that we all know what kindness looks like and ultimately that we realize how great it feels and how it can change our world.
What
can each of us do to teach a little kindness, to practice kindness each day?
The
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, established by an anonymous donor to
promote kindness worldwide, has a terrific website that is filled with resources for families and
educators, www.randomactsofkindness.org. Also take a look at Youth
Frontiers, a Minnesota nonprofit established to build community and inspire character among young people. In addition to other programs, Youth Frontiers leads Kindness Retreats for 4th and 5th Graders, www.youthfrontiers.org.
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