Kindness is a universal language that can be learned at a young age. My son is a year old and the way I act around him and treat him now will affect the person he becomes in the future. To be a kind person you need to see someone be kind. If you are raised in a toxic environment your actions as you grow older will most likely become toxic. Making the world a kinder place means raising your child to act and behave a certain way.
No age is too young. Even before they walk your child is absorbing your actions and the words you speak over them. If you spew hatred in front of your child thinking that they won’t understand because they are too young, then you are in for a rude awakening once they begin speaking.
“The most important thing in life is that you are happy!” It is like we have than engraved in our mind. While that is true we should replace that with “The most important thing in life is that you are kind.” Raising your child to strive for their own happiness is a great thing to do, but for most finding happiness is easier achieved by being kind.
I am a stay at home mom so it is very rare that my son is around other people and children, but even then at his young age he has such kind characteristics. When he hit six months he began learning to share. He will share his toys and even his snack with you. It is the most adorable thing. For example, catch is my son’s favorite thing to play and if you hold your hand out, with your palm up, he will crawl/walk the ball to you and place it in your hand rather than tossing it your way. In his mind when he see that motion he thinks share.
We have taught my son to be kind to our fur baby, Sora. People warned me about owning a cat and having a young child but they have become such great friends because of what we taught Joshua. My son knows that it is wrong to hit the kitty or pull on his fur/tail. He knows that if he does those things, he will no longer be able to play with his fuzzy, four legged friend.
There are so many simple tasks that you can teach a child at this age. From sharing to picking up their toys the list is miles long and will lead to a kinder lifestyle when they grow older. Living a kind lifestyle has such a great impact on people and on the community. Where kindness is respect will follow. You cannot have one without the other, but in order to achieve a life of kindness it must be taught young or it will later be learned… the hard way.
How are you raising your child to be kind? Let me know in the comments!
*G*I*V*E*A*W*A*Y*
I have teamed up with Mama Love Collective to give away a ‘Raise Them Kind’ shirt! Head on over to my instagram or click the link below to see what you have to do to enter!
