Someone recently gifted me this beautiful book by Charlie Mackesy from which the image above is an excerpt. The book is full of the same heart-centered wisdom that reflects the values and perspectives that Education for Life seeks to support and cultivate in both children and adults. It is a sweet story of friendship and kindness and much more.
The value of kindness cannot be overstated, especially in today's world. We all want to live in a kinder world. We want to teach our children to be kind but... where do we start?
As with most life things in life, our actions speak louder than words. Rather than telling your children the importance and value of kindness, help them to experience it. Take them along the next time you plan to run an errand for a friend. Let them hear your kind words to a family member. Involve them in a baking project for a neighbor.
Children learn by doing and observing. When we make kindness a part of our daily lives children see and feel the results first hand. As it says in the Education for Life book...
As we expand our reality to include others, we become happier which naturally motivates us to continue!
And then there is the importance of practicing kindness toward ourselves. Self-compassion is a central part of conscious parenting. Challenging as it can be at times, as we practice and cultivate self-compassion it brings patience and kindness into all our relationships.
If you're curious about how to cultivate kindness and self-compassion for yourself and within your family, join our February Inspiration Circle this Wednesday at 10am PST.
P.S. Not sure about your own level of self-compassion? Take this free quiz from Kristen Neff, leading expert in the study of self-compassion.