When it comes to raising children, there are many essential qualities and traits that parents must be able to teach and develop in their children, to help them grow into good, productive members of society. One of those qualities is kindness, which is defined as a pleasant disposition that is associated with generosity, friendliness, and empathy.
If you aren’t too familiar with the importance of kindness, then continue reading because it can be one of the factors that improve the quality of your child’s life.
Kindness is associated with happiness
While kindness is an ideal personality trait, a more practical reason why it’s important is that it makes people happy. Research has shown that doing acts of kindness releases different hormones in people’s brains. Endorphins are one of these hormones, and it is the one that produces good, positive feelings in people. Once your child associates kindness with that warm, fuzzy feeling, it is more likely that she will continue to engage in acts of kindness.
Teaching your child to be kind will then enable her to create and contribute a harmonious environment wherever she is, whether in school or at home.
It also contributes to good health
Kindness can also contribute to a person’s physical and mental health. It was mentioned earlier that the kindness-induced secretion of endorphins makes a person happy. Another of these hormones associated with kindness is oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone responsible for regulating blood pressure, decreasing inflammation in the body, and reducing stress.
If you want your child to stay both physically and mentally healthy, instilling kindness in her can be a great and welcome addition to a balanced diet and a consistent sleeping schedule. After all, a kind child is a happy and healthy child.
Simple ways you can teach your child to be kind
Unsure of how to teach kindness to your child? Start by simply being kind to her. This is the most basic yet very effective way of modeling kindness. By putting your child on the receiving end of acts of kindness, she will be able to understand what it feels like to be helped, appreciated, and encouraged and at the same time, your child also gets to learn first-hand how to become kind to others.
Aside from being kind to her, you should also make it a point to praise any instance of your child being kind. Verbal affirmation is an indicator for children that a certain behavior should be repeated. This is a good way of reinforcing such behavior, especially when it comes from parents.
Key Takeaway
Always keep in mind that aside from the general importance of kindness, is that it is something that can be taught — and the earlier it is taught, the better. While academic excellence is a great goal that children should strive for, it is always better when accompanied by good character. Teaching and instilling kindness is one of the steps you can take to hone this character and contribute to your child’s holistic development.