What kind of acts of kindness does this article suggest for kids?

The article aims to provide research-backed, easy ideas for acts of kindness that can be brought into a child's daily routine. The goal is to help children grow in empathy and emotional intelligence through simple but powerful actions.

How can I balance teaching kindness with my child's academic achievements?

The article highlights a common challenge where children perceive parents prioritize achievement over caring for others, even if parents value kindness. It suggests that parents can alter their path by incorporating simple acts of kindness into daily routines to ensure kindness is also a focus.

Is the parenting advice on this page supported by research?

Yes, the advice presented on fostering kindness and empathy in children is explicitly stated as "research-backed." The author, Amy Webb, Ph.D., references studies like those from the "Making Caring Common project" to support the insights shared.

Why is fostering empathy and emotional intelligence important for my child?

Fostering empathy and emotional intelligence through acts of kindness is crucial for a child's social-emotional development. The article suggests that by incorporating these acts, parents can help their children grow into kind individuals who consider others' needs.

Acts of Kindness for Kids: Foster Empathy in Everyday Life

Sneak peek: Acts of kindness for kids to help them grow in empathy and emotional intelligence. Research-backed but easy ideas to bring into the daily routine.

Quick Answer

Fostering kindness and empathy in children through simple daily acts is vital for their emotional intelligence and overall well-being. Research from the Making Caring Common project indicates that while most parents value kindness, approximately 80% of children perceive their parents as prioritizing achievement or happiness over caring for others. Thoughtful Parent emphasizes that reinforcing kindness from an early age helps develop empathetic thinking, contributing to happier and more successful individuals.

I thought I had done what “good moms” do. I signed the kids up for activities. Baseball, basketball, Cub Scouts…all the “right” things. I helped them set up playdates with their friends.

Then, one day I looked at our schedule.

I had a revelation: I had just set up a world that revolved solely around them. Although my goal was to raise kind kids who helped others and considered others’ needs, this was not what our schedule showed.

Is there space to think of others? Can we incorporate some simple acts of kindness for kids into our routine? What can I do to help them grow in empathy and emotional intelligence?

I was instantly reminded of the articles I’d read from the Making Caring Common project. My revelation, it seems, is one that researchers have found too. In an eye-opening study of parents and children, they found that while the vast majority of parents say that they value kindness in their children, about 80% of the kids in the survey said their parents are more concerned about achievement or happiness than about them caring for others.

Kids in the study were 3 times more likely to agree (than disagree) with this statement: “My parents are prouder if I get good grades in my classes than if I’m a caring community member in class and school.”

Yikes!

In other words, our words are not translating into action. Our focus on achievement and success is drowning out much of what we might be saying about kindness.

It’s a hard realization to face. The core findings of the study are summed up well in its title, “The Children We Mean to Raise.”

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The Science of Kindness

The good news is that altering our path is not hard. Each day, we can help foster kindness and bolster our kids’ emotional intelligence. From an early age, kids are wired for kindness. Babies as young as 9 months old gravitate toward the “kind” puppet in lab studies. However, for this mindset to continue, it has to be reinforced as kids grow.

Modeling kindness in our daily lives is one of the best ways to reinforce empathetic thinking. As eloquently pointed out in the book, The Yes Brain, the part of the brain that helps control empathetic thinking can be developed and trained over time. By pointing out the feelings of others and practicing empathetic interactions, this part of the brain becomes stronger in kids.

Even in our high-tech world, emotional interaction and kindness still matter. It makes for a better world, and research also tells us it helps make kids happier and more successful…even in those high-tech jobs. Although coding computers may one day be automated, skills like communication, empathy and emotional intelligence will never be perfectly imitated by a robot. These skills are what make us human.

Easy Kindness Activities

How can parents approach kindness activities with purpose, not pressure?

It’s easy to forget on a daily basis, but we have a limited amount of time with our kids under our roof. Pointing this out, however, is not about feeling pressure to make things perfect; it’s about making good use of the time we have.

So I put together a collection of easy kindness activities for kids that we can incorporate into our daily routine.