No matter where we stand on political issues, we parents can probably all agree that raising kids who are kind to others is a high priority. Unfortunately, as we describe here, kindness has not been a major focus for many across the country as of late. But you and your kids can be a part of turning the tide!
Birmingham Mommy has partnered with the Pay It Forward Foundation to bring you The 25 Days of Kindness, which begins today and goes through the 25th, Christmas Day.
The Pay It Forward Foundation is a non-profit that partners with teachers in schools from coast to coast, providing copies of the Pay It Forward Young Readers Edition as a resource for teaching the pay it forward philosophy of “Kindness to Strangers.” In the past 2 years, the foundation has provided more than 3,000 books for teachers to use with their students. Since creating a culture of kindness in their classrooms, teachers have reported improvements in student behavior and empathy among students and decreases in bullying and disruptive behavior. In December 2016 the Foundation is a partner with NBC Universal as part of their #ShareKindness campaign, inspiring one million acts of random kindness. Plans for 2017 include providing more than 1,000 more books for teachers. To learn more, you can follow Pay It Forward on Instagram or Twitter: @ThePayItForwardFoundation and on Facebook: @officialPayItForwardFoundation
Despite our best intentions, sometimes we talk to our kids about kindness but don’t actually put those words into specific actions. To help you be more proactive, we’ve put together a list of 25 acts of kindness that you and your kids can practice together over the holiday season. Not only will these acts help others and spread holiday cheer, but they’ll also teach your children empathy and compassion for others and increase gratitude for all they already have. Use this guide however works best for you – whether daily, once a week, or whenever you happen to have the time. We’ll post reminders each day in case you forget – we know it’s a busy season!
December 1st: “Adopt an angel” from a local Angel Tree and shop together for gifts for a child in need. Gifts are due by December 3rd so do this one quick! There’s an Angel Tree at Brookwood Mall with several angels yet to be adopted. Adopt online and drop off your gifts by the 3rd.
December 2nd: Challenge your child to talk to someone new or shy at school today.
December 3rd: Rake a neighbor’s leaves without telling him or her.
December 4th: Visit a local playground and, while you’re there, pick up a few pieces of trash and recycle or throw them away.
December 5th: Encourage your child to compliment her teacher unexpectedly today.
December 6th: Instead of re-selling gently used coats that no longer fit, donate them to a local shelter, ministry, or non-profit. One to consider in Birmingham is Greater Birmingham Ministries, which maintains a clothes closet for individuals in need.
December 7th: At the dinner table, have each person give a nice compliment to the person sitting on his right. Go for a couple of rounds if you can!
December 8th: Use chalk to write happy thoughts on the sidewalk in front of your house or at a local park.
December 9th: Bring a doughnut to the bus driver or crossing guard at school.
December 10th: Challenge each child to do a secret chore in your house or for a family member without being asked!
December 11th: Wave to people from the car or while on a walk in the neighborhood.
December 12th: Send an email greeting to one of your child’s former teachers and let your child include a brief message.
December 13th: Go through your child’s toys and donate those he doesn’t play with anymore (bonus: clear out space in the play room!).
December 14th: Take coupons to the grocery store and leave them with the matching products for someone else to use.
December 15th: Bake a small treat for your child’s teacher for her to take to school the next day as a special holiday surprise!
December 16th: Write a letter or email to a grandparent or other special friend.
December 17th: Have your child save some of his allowance to pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive-thru at Starbucks or a fast food restaurant.
December 18th: Make holiday cards for kids at Children’s Hospital and take them to share.
December 19th: Have your child dress in a favorite costume before you go someplace public like the grocery store. People you pass will enjoy the surprise of Halloween in December!
December 20th: Bake a treat together to share with a family friend who has just had a baby, has been sick or in the hospital, is lonely, or who has been too busy to bake lately.
December 21st: Leave positive message sticky notes on bathroom mirrors in public places when you’re running errands.
December 22nd: Encourage your older child to play her younger sibling’s favorite game (even though the older one thinks it’s pretty babyish). For only kids, try this with a younger cousin or neighbor.
December 23rd: Paint rocks in fun, cheery colors and hide them in places where kids will find them. Check out Homewood Rocks on Facebook for ideas on getting more people doing this in your area.
December 24th: Have each family member write down three things he or she is grateful for. Put them all in a jar and have each person pull three out at random. Try to guess who was grateful for what. This is not only a fun bonding activity but a way to watch your blessings multiply.
December 25th: Make a point to thank each person for the gifts they gave and for just being present!
Share your Acts of Kindness with us on our social media using Hashtags #ShareKindness and #BhamMommy25DOK and you’ll be entered to win tickets to Zoolight Safari! (hashtags must be included on your posts to be entered.)
