Use being cooped up at home due to coronavirus as an opportunity to teach them kindness.
By Katrina Harris — Written on Apr 01, 2020
Nurturing kindness within children and making sure they learn to have empathy and respect for others — these important lessons start at home. As the parents, teachers and family of children, we should instill these qualities in our youth as much as possible to ensure that they spread love and kindness into the world. Especially now, during the coronavirus pandemic — when tensions and anxieties are high.
In today’s society, we are quick to judge others and we lack the respect of our elders, women and even children. When our youth are exposed to these behaviors, though, they begin to adapt to them and mimick them. So now, more than ever before as the majority of the world is at home in quarantine as we wait out the virus, we parents are who need to lead by example so the children in our lives can apply the positive attributes they are exposed to and eventually they will carry those into society.
To start teaching children what it means to be kind, take a look below at four routines you can incorporate into your kids' daily schedules while they are spending time at home:
1. Be kind, smile and mind your manners.
It is a great idea to get children in the habit of smiling and expressing themselves in a positive and kind way. Remind them that having something nice to say to others are a good way to spread love around. You can remind them to smile and thank you for holding the door open for them, or to thank you for making lunch or snack.
2. Know when to say something nice, and when not to say anything at all.
Like the old saying, if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all. Sometimes holding your tongue is the best way to avoid conflict, so encourage your kids to get into the habit of saying nice things to each other, and when they are upset, backing away from the situation (rather than fighting).
3. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Remind your child that if they do something to someone that they do not like, it is not a good feeling — it might help them to try to imagine how that same situation would feel if the shoe was on the foot.
4. Take the lead.
Be nice and loving to your children, and in turn, encourage them to take the lead when it comes to doing something kind. Love and be kind to them so they can learn and know how good it feels to do nice things ... just because. Let them experience that feeling so they will want to learn how to give that same feeling to others.
In the spirit of love and kindness, here are 50 kindness quotes for kids to inspire you and your kiddos to be kind and love others, especially now.
1. Caring people can make a real difference in the world.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have” — Margaret Mead
2. Kindness is the key to a happier world.
“What this world needs is a new kind of army – the army of the kind” — Cleveland Amory
3. There are many heroes in life, they all have a kind streak.
“The simple act of caring is heroic” — Edward Albert
4. Clever people are fun but the people that make you smile are the good people.
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people” — Abraham Joshua Heschel
5. Change the world, one smile at a time.
“When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world” — Harold Kushner
6. Caring for others will give you the deepest joy in life.
“I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance” — Pablo Casals
7. You never know what the next person is going through.
“ Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle” — Plato
8. Always be kind.
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible” — Dalai Lama
9. When you help others, you are setting yourself up for a blessing.
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up” — Booker T. Washington
10. Go above and beyond sometimes.
“Be a little kinder than you have to.”–E. Lockhart
11. Do not forget to live, to love, and to be nice.
“A person is a happy person.” –Unknown
12. The world cannot change if we do not instill kindness in youth.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not” — Dr. Seuss
13. Think of others even when you’re at your happiest.
“Always stop to think whether your fun may be the cause of another’s unhappiness” — Aesop
14. Goodness is the key to all happiness.
“Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest” — Francis Bacon
15. Always think of others.
“Never be so busy as not to think of others” — Mother Teresa
16. Having a heart for others will make the world better.
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up” — John Holmes
17. Even if the kind acts go unnoticed, remain in your good spirits, it is known in the eyes of God.
“The best portion of a man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love”.–William Wordsworth
18. Try to inspire others in trying times.
“Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud” — Maya Angelou
19. Regardless of how small, all acts of kindness matter.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” — Aesop
20. Kindness is always the best way to make others smile.
“You can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness” — Anne Frank
21. Being kind is human.
“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind” — Henry James
22. The price of being nice is cheaper than being mean.
“Kind words don’t cost much. Yet they accomplish much” — Blaise Pascal
23. Even if a person is not nice, be nice in their life. They need it more.
“Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most” — Ashleigh Brilliant
24. Be smart. Inspire. Be kind. It will help the world.
“We rise by lifting others” — Robert Ingersoll
25. Be the beauty in being kind.
“How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it!” — George Elliston
26. That one chance to help others is the only chance.
“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up” — Jesse Jackson
27. Spread kindness because it can be contagious.
“Everywhere you go, leave a glitter trail of kindness behind you” — Unknown
28. An act of kindness is like a breath of fresh air.
“A kind word is like a Spring day” — Russian Proverb
29. The light in our kindness will always shine.
“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way” — Mary Anne Radmacher
30. It is important to be kind.
“It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice” — Unknown
31. Think before you act.
“Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins” — –Barack Obama
32. The little things are what the world needs to learn to care about.
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world” — Desmond Tutu
33. Never count the good things you do for others.
“A person who does things that count doesn't usually stop to count them” — Unknown
34. Love conquers all.
“A sensitive soul sees the world through the lens of love” — Unknown
35. Be considerate of others, it will make your life brighter.
“Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree". –Marian Wright Edelman
36. It is so simple.
“Be kind to one another” — Ellen DeGeneres
37. You never know how big an act of love is.
“Doing little things for the people in your life is actually a big thing” — Unknown
38. It is the smallest thing to do but the biggest emotion that people can feel by being nice.
“Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water - it will make ripples throughout the entire pond". –Jessy and Bryan Matteo
39. One act of kindness daily can make the world better.
“Do one act of kindness each day of the year and change 365 lives". –Anthony Douglas Williams
40. Go for it. Do not hesitate. Being kind is worth it.
“Don't wait for other people to be loving, giving, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, generous, or friendly... lead the way!". –Steve Maraboli
41. Every day is a new day, start it off right.
“Every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone's day". –Richelle E. Goodrich
42. Think of others as often as you can.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less". – C.S. Lewis
43. You have power in your happiness and you have the power to make others smile.
“If you have the power to make someone happy, DO IT. The world needs more of that". –Unknown
44. Kindness can be understood by all people.
“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see” — Mark Twain
45. Spreading joy can bring you joy.
“In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy". –Karl Reiland
46. Be a better person in today’s society.
“In a world full of people who couldn't care less, be someone who couldn't care more". –Unknown
47. Leave no trails behind beside love.
“In order to be remembered, leave nothing behind but goodness” — Unknown
48. Kindness is everything.
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love” — Lao Tzu
49. We have power when we have a kind heart.
“Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not” — Samuel Johnson
50. We can be a better world if we love each other.
“If we all do one random act of kindness daily, we just might set the world in the right direction". –Martin Kornfeld
More for You:
Katrina Harris is a writer who covers love and relationship topics.