Most parents want the best for their children and make it their mission to raise kids who become happy, healthy, and prosperous adults. They also want to raise their children to respect others and lend a hand where needed; in short, parents want to raise kind kids.
Most parents want the best for their children and make it their mission to raise kids who become happy, healthy, and prosperous adults.
They also want to raise their children to respect others and lend a hand where needed; in short, parents want to raise kind kids.
However, it's challenging for parents to shape their kids' character.
Luckily, a team of Harvard-based psychologists has investigated what a parent or caregiver can do to raise a caring, loving kid.
Researchers from the Making Caring Common (MCC) project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education made the following recommendations:
1) Encourage your kid to be kind and helpful towards others
Tell your kid why everybody should be kind to each other.
Explain that the world is a better place when we all treat each other well.
Make it clear to your children that other people's happiness is as valuable as their own.
When your kid has a chance to help somebody else, encourage them to take it.
You can also use the news and events in your community as talking points when you discuss principles such as justice, equality, and respect with your daughter or son.
2) Show love and appreciation to your kid
When you have a parent-child relationship based on love, your kid is more likely to respect your opinions and values.
Be sure to tell your child that you love them, and offer praise when they make ethical decisions.
Emphasize that while academic achievement is worthwhile, being kind is a moral imperative.
3) Help your child express their feelings in a healthy way
Emotionally intelligent people usually have better relationships with others.
Emotional intelligence enables an individual to recognize and handle their feelings in themselves and those around them.
Help your kid label their emotions and give them room to describe how they feel.
You can then discuss healthy coping skills, like vigorous exercise to release anger, and set aside time to relax with a good film or book to relieve stress.
This teaches kids to process their own feelings without taking them out on others.
As they get older, you can introduce your children to mindfulness and meditation practices.
4) Teach your kid about empathy
Help your child to adopt a new perspective, if only for some moments, on world events.
For instance, if you're watching the news and see a piece about people who've lost their homes in a natural disaster, teach them to think about how these people might be feeling, and how everyone else could help them.
Encourage your kid to listen to others, especially during arguments.
Tell them that even when we disagree with someone else, it's best if we slow down and put ourselves in their shoes.
If your kid expresses concern about an issue, like animal cruelty or immigrant rights, encourage them to take constructive action.
For example, you could supervise a fundraising attempt or help them share positive messages on social media. Make sure to praise them for their positive action.
5) Be a good role model for your child
This is perhaps the most significant piece of the puzzle.
Your child won't take you seriously unless you put your principles into action. Take an honest look at your behavior.
Do you constructively resolve your conflicts? Do you treat other people graciously and with respect? If not, you can't reasonably expect your kid to do the same.
Set an example for your kids.
You could set aside a day every few months to pick out unwanted toys and clothes that you can donate to a local charity.
Ideally, pick an organization in need of volunteers, and help out as a family on a monthly or even weekly basis. Not only will this model kind behavior, but it will also provide your children with happy memories for years to come.
COMMENTS