Jean C. Avery

Random Act of Kindness Week: February 15th – 21st
By Jean Avery
In honor of “Random Acts of Kindness Week” let’s keep the spirit of Valentines Day going and continue to spread more love and kindness. Children learn what they live, so sharing kindness should be at the top of our list as parents.
A great place to begin seeing kindness and caringness in children is with their pets or other small animals. Most children, by nature, enthusiastically reach out to love and protect smaller beings. Some may prefer the stuffed kind of animal friends, but others are totally captured by real animals, especially baby animals. Take the opportunity to teach care and respect for their pets. Even the care for goldfish can be a valuable lesson of responsibility.
Although combining many life lessons of kindness can begin at this level, the greatest lesson of all is to show children kindness through our own deeds. As parents, we sometimes lose sight of our goals as we engage in such a competitive society, but even so, there is always room for a random act of kindness.
Sometimes if you watch close enough, as an adult, we may learn a lesson or two from our young children on random acts of kindness.
In a Montessori environment, where contributive behavior is more dominant than competitive behavior, we have a wonderful opportunity to instill acts of kindness. Montessori children practice helping each from the day they enter school. They learn about all biomes, cultures, and habitats of the world. These teachings give an understanding and acceptance of other people in the world. They learn early on that peaceful interactions with their fellow students begin with kindness in mind. The entire Montessori system actually spreads the theme of kindness and respect which rings out on all continents of the world. Let’s keep this spirit of kindness alive and a way of life for our families.

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