5 Ways to Teach Kids Compassion & Kindness

I have a shirt that says "Just a Mom Trying to Raise Kind Humans." I got it because it’s cute and it’s my hope as a mom that my kids don’t turn out like monsters. Turns out that raising kind humans is a lot easier said than done as my boys refuse to share and prefer wrestle mania as their form of problem solving.

I realize I’m in the same boat as every other parent out there, but what actionable steps can be done to actually help us do our job as parents?

With this big responsibility, we are going to start small and use these 5 ways to help our kids learn to be kind humans.

1. Teach empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand, feel, acknowledge and share another person's feelings. Without empathy your child will never be able to understand kindness because they’ll have no emotional connection to others or how it makes themselves feel. So encourage emotions (in a safe environment) and talk about how you feel. Be open with both the good and bad feelings.

1. Model behavior

Parents will always be the first person a child looks to to see how to behave in any situation or respond to any person. If you’re not using nice words when describing your neighbor or using gentle hands when the dog makes you mad, don’t be surprised if your kids do the same.

"Do as I say, not as I do" does NOT apply when trying to teach your kids compassion.

1. Enforce manners

My biggest pet peeve is when grown adults don’t use their manners (how rude)! So teach your children young that please and thank you truly mean a lot to people. Model behavior and repetition will help you to reinforce the use of manners in your home and in public.

1. Use your resources

Teaching compassion can seem like a daunting task but you’re not alone! Use what is available. For example, reading books that focus on kindness or watching a show about sharing is caring can help introduce or remind your child how to be kind.

Show Ideas: Daniel Tiger, Sesame Street, Molly of Denali, Andy Griffith Show (older)

Movie Ideas: Trolls, UP, Wonder, Beauty & the Beast, Rudy (older), The Grinch

1. Act it out

Sometimes the easiest way to teach kindness is to SHOW it. With your kids, choose a day to compliment everyone you see at the grocery story. Or ask your kiddo what random act of kindness they want to do today. Even making sure you smile at the barista or cashier can make a difference. Include your kids so they can also enjoy the feeling of making someone’s day.

Grab inspiration through short kids kindness quotes here

So, parent/caretaker/guardian/teacher, remember that raising kind humans is a big task but can be done in small steps! Starting with these 5 ways to teach kindness to children can and will make an impact. Plus, the fact that you want to teach your kiddos how to be a kind person is an amazing thing! You got this.

Jenn writes at her blog healthyhappyimpactful.com. She’s a mom of three looking to learn and grow. Check it out if you love helpful tips on health, family, and personal growth.