@drashleysoderlund

Research has found that not only are toddlers happier when giving to others but when that giving is especially costly, they are even happier.

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For example, if a toddler forgoes the treat themselves and gives it to someone else they show greater happiness than when sharing the treat!

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Little kids’ acts of kindness are going to be clumsy and impulsive, and oh so very pure. Don’t miss them! Notice them and help your littles to follow through.

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Simply helping your child notice their natural impulse to be kind can be very powerful.

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When your child does something kind, you don’t need to “reinforce it” or “praise it.”

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Research shows that “rewarding” kids for kindness can undermine that pure instinctual drive to do good.

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What you can do and should do is to help them reflect on it. Help your child develop a caring and kind identity by telling them they are a kind person.

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Then ask them, how did it feel to do that kind thing you did? Help them to bask in that warm glow feeling.

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It is one thing to feel compassion and generosity to those who we feel close to and who we love.

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It perhaps takes more courage to help people who are suffering, who may be different than us, or who haven’t treated us kindly.

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It takes a great amount of empathy to understand that other children may have different challenges than you have.

It takes a great amount of compassion to notice how others help us to survive and how other people may have greater needs than our own.

Kids learn by doing. Hands-on activities. And those skills of empathy, compassion, and courage come from practice. Find something your family can do intentionally to serve others.

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@drashleysoderlund

Acts of Kindness: Show Your Kids How Doing Good Leads to Happiness

The science of kindness is fascinating and holds important clues about how to foster the courage to be kind in our kids.

Research has found that not only are toddlers happier when giving to others but when that giving is especially costly, they are even happier.

The Science of Kindness: Impulsive and Instinctive

For example, if a toddler forgoes the treat themselves and gives it to someone else they show greater happiness than when sharing the treat!

The Science of Kindness: Impulsive and Instinctive

Little kids’ acts of kindness are going to be clumsy and impulsive, and oh so very pure. Don’t miss them! Notice them and help your littles to follow through.

1. Be on the Lookout for Kind Impulses

Simply helping your child notice their natural impulse to be kind can be very powerful.

1. Be on the Lookout for Kind Impulses

When your child does something kind, you don’t need to “reinforce it” or “praise it.”

2. Help Your Kids Develop a Kind Identity Through Reflection

Research shows that “rewarding” kids for kindness can undermine that pure instinctual drive to do good.

2. Help Your Kids Develop a Kind Identity Through Reflection

What you can do and should do is to help them reflect on it. Help your child develop a caring and kind identity by telling them they are a kind person.

2. Help Your Kids Develop a Kind Identity Through Reflection

Then ask them, how did it feel to do that kind thing you did? Help them to bask in that warm glow feeling.

2. Help Your Kids Develop a Kind Identity Through Reflection

It is one thing to feel compassion and generosity to those who we feel close to and who we love.

3. Help Your Kids Develop The Courage and Inner Strength to Act Compassionately Through Service Projects

It perhaps takes more courage to help people who are suffering, who may be different than us, or who haven’t treated us kindly.

3. Help Your Kids Develop The Courage and Inner Strength to Act Compassionately Through Service Projects

It takes a great amount of empathy to understand that other children may have different challenges than you have.

It takes a great amount of empathy to understand that other children may have different challenges than you have.

It takes a great amount of compassion to notice how others help us to survive and how other people may have greater needs than our own.

It takes a great amount of compassion to notice how others help us to survive and how other people may have greater needs than our own.

Kids learn by doing. Hands-on activities. And those skills of empathy, compassion, and courage come from practice. Find something your family can do intentionally to serve others.

3. Help Your Kids Develop The Courage and Inner Strength to Act Compassionately Through Service Projects

@drashleysoderlund

Acts of Kindness: Show Your Kids How Doing Good Leads to Happiness

The science of kindness is fascinating and holds important clues about how to foster the courage to be kind in our kids.