With all the sad news, negativity, and bullying bombarding us, it is the perfect time to add more kindness to our world. I truly believe that individuals who are happy inside won’t act out in hateful ways, whether it be blaming others for their problems, bullying, or using violence to express their emotions.
World Kindness Day takes place each year on November 13th. It’s the perfect time to be mindful of how we treat others and how we can spread more kindness throughout our communities. In times like these, we need this day to step back and be grateful for the kindness expressed in this world, even if it is sometimes hard to find.
Science tells us that being kind to others is actually good for our health, reducing stress and boosting our mood. Acts of kindness can help counteract these negative emotions swirling around during this unstable time in history.
What can you do to celebrate World Kindness Day with your children?
Learn about the science-backed benefits of giving to others. Check out the following posts:
Look for family volunteer opportunities. I encourage all of you to explore volunteer opportunities in your local community that you can do as a family. To help you get started, I have provided some amazing resources. There are so many ways that you can give together. And if you don’t find something that you love, create it yourself! Your children and the people you help will thank you.
Perform random acts of kindness. Sign up with Random Acts of Kindness Foundation to spread kindness in your community.
Add good deeds to family dinner time. For those of you feeling overwhelmed by your schedule and not sure how to fit in volunteer activities, start by adding an act of kindness to something you already do anyway–make the most of your family dinner experience with a few big-hearted tweaks.
Read books about giving and kindness to your children. There are so many to choose from. Here’s an example.
Teach your children lovingkindness meditation. We must love ourselves before we can offer kindness to the world around us. Prepare your family to help others by practicing lovingkindness meditation together.
Guide your children in becoming ambassadors of love and kindness, not hate. It’s our job to be a good role model to our children and treat others with kindness and respect.
May we all continue to fight the good fight to bring peace and happiness throughout the world. It starts in our homes by raising happy, balanced children–the leaders of tomorrow who will inherit a world that we build today.
How will your family celebrate World Kindness Day?
I had never heard of World Kindness Day, but I love it! We taught our boys to do what we called “One Anothering”, taken from the Bible passage about living and sharing with one another. We would regularly pray for opportunities to “one another”, be it sending a card and a picture they had colored to an older person or making soup and homemade bread for a sick neighbor.
I was so pleased to come across this post celebrating World Kindness Day! I too, as a blogger did the same. In case you’re interested, please check out ‘The Magical Touch of Kindness’ at madeyousmile .com — But I just love, love, love everything you wrote and hope that everyone realizes that don’t have to have a holiday to be kind. One should be every day! Wouldn’t the world be such a better place if we all did this? Many blessings.
Thanks, I will check out your post as well.