Why is kindness so often considered weak or foolish?
Thanks to the current state of political discourse, we're hearing many, many conversations about what strength and courage look like.
To be strong and appear smart, we are told, we must never compromise. We must be louder than the person next to us. We must move forcefully through our opposition.
Our children are watching this whole process. If we fall into the trap of believing that brute force and aggression are more admirable than compassion, our children will too.
While I strive to teach my children to speak up for their beliefs, I also want to teach them the courage and the strength of acting with kindness.
Having worked with Doing Good Together™ for almost six years, I've seen the wisdom and life lessons children - and parents too - learn through family acts of kindness.
Doing Good Together has spent more than a decade helping families practice kindness together, and has compiled a growing list of things children learn from family acts of kindness.
Helping others is reward enough.
Yet an intentional family practice of kindness and volunteering teaches lessons that will last a lifetime.
Recently, I re-read The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Living a Compassionate Life by Piero Ferrucci, with a preface by the Dalai Lama. This little book - one of my favorites - is full of inspiring reminders about the many emotional and psychological benefits of compassion.
Only this time, in light of the tone of our national political debate, I felt the need to add to the list of "unexpected benefits" of compassion.
Beyond peace and mental health, living with compassion leads to many essential bits of wisdom.
Click on the image for a PDF version.
Learn more about the life lessons kids learn from family acts of kindness.
Browse our service projects for creative ideas to share kindness together.
Already involved in a family kindness practice? Take it the next step, and join our Membership Circle today!
Disclaimer: Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.