Kilgore Primary School
February Counselor Newsletter
Teaching Children To Be Kind
Did you know children are born with an inherent nature to be kind? As they grow and mature, their sense of doing good develops as well. Initially small children do good because it helps them get what they want. Eventually, however, children learn to anticipate the needs of others and helping others makes them feel good. Unfortunately studies also show that the attitude of kindness begins to shift around the middle school years. During these years, adolescents begin to copy the behaviors of those people most influential (whether positive or negative) in their lives. In order for our children to become kind adults, we must make it a priority to teach them while they are young. Here are some suggestions:
Lead by example. Take the time to look at ways in which you are kind (and ways you're unkind).
Teach empathy. Teach your children to think about things from another person's point of view, which may help them understand why someone acts the way they do.
Make a kindness bucket. Use ideas from the children's book "Have Your Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids" by Carol McCloud. Filling another's bucket can be as simple as offering praise, expressing appreciation or writing a note of thanks.
February Core Essential ~ Service
SAY IT
Lending a hand to help someone else.
KNOW IT
Ask a kid:
• Has anyone ever come to your side when you have needed help wit h something?
• Think of a time when you lent a hand to help someone else when they were in need.
Ask a grown up:
• When is the last time that you helped someone out who was struggling with something or
simply needed help? What was the end result?
• How does it feel to lend a hand to help someone else?
• What are some acts of service that people have done for you in your lifetime?
SEE IT
There are several examples of service jobs and careers that you may already be familiar with.
Among these are public service occupations. Men and women who serve in r oles such as
fireman and women, police officers, military members, public school teachers, and state park
workers are all public service employees. These individuals are tasked with providing a service to the public whether it is maintaining safety for the community, putting out damaging fires, protecting the freedom of the United States, educating youth or managing beautiful state parks. Do some research on these career options and identify the ways in which they lend a hand to someone else.
BE IT
This month, choose one volunteer opportunity that your family would like to partake in.
Options might include volunteering at the local senior center to serve a meal, volunteering at
your church or simply picking up trash around the local park. Lending a hand to help someone
else is always a good idea and can be made a priority this month.