How To Teach Kindness to a Child

I’m on a quest for kindness. Not to say there isn’t any in the world, but I do mean to say we sure could use MORE of it.

I’m on a quest for kindness. Not to say there isn’t any in the world, but I do mean to say we sure could use MORE of it. And I want to show you how to teach kindness to a child.

I’ve had the privilege of teaching children from pretty much every ribbon of the rainbow. There’s one truth I know ❤️ THEY’RE ALL KIDS. No matter their backgrounds, they all want to be loved, and they desperately want to give love too.

We’re living in a world where all lives currently do not matter to everyone, and I believe we have a more urgent obligation than ever before to teach children that our differences are special. Our differences are precisely what add so much vibrant color to the world — colors like innovation, strong values, humor, illustrative books, and meaningful connections. The world is a confusing place at the best of times. Let’s give our children the tools to navigate it and to understand human differences. I don’t claim to know the best way to do this. But I do know most people love a good story – and we’re blessed to have some of the best out there.

So the sword I choose to pick up on my quest for kindness is a book – many of them, in fact.

The #KindnessIsColorful Initiative is a chance for all of us to come together and share ideas for teaching kids about diversity, inclusion and kindness. Would you like to join me? If so, here’s what to do:

1) Choose a book (or any craft / activity / poem / anything!) that is appropriate for school-aged children. The message of the book/activity should focus on building an understanding of human differences, inclusion and KINDNESS. If you can, emphasize the story’s message by including a couple of questions for follow-up discussion, or even an activity parents and children can do post-story.

2) Post a video of yourself reading your book / doing your activity on social media (FB and/or IG). ✨ Tag @thedrizzleeffect & use the hashtag #kindnessiscolorful so our stories are easily findable. ✨

3) Invite your friends to participate too! Tag a few friends and copy/paste this post with the invitation and directions.

4) English, Spanish, Pig Latin, and more…all languages welcome! The purpose is to collaborate in creating a space with resources we can all share.

Creating lasting change – not just tolerance of one another, but harmony and acceptance – won’t come easily. But, together, we can prove #kindnessiscolorful. We can write a whole new story.