We need more kindness in the world. We can spread it by modeling kind acts for our children and by teaching them at a young age that their actions matter. One of the reasons I passionately love children’s books is their ability to take complex issues and break them down into simple life lessons. Kids’ books allow children and adults to view challenging topics through a safe and soft lens. “Be Kind” has been one of my favorite children’s books for years. In the story, a student spills juice on her dress. Another student wonders how she can help. Her thoughts grow as she considers what kindness is and explores the concept and how she can spread it.
I still get chills every time I read it, particularly when I see my sons’ reactions to the words and see them feel empowered to help people. There is a passage in the book that says “my small actions might join other small actions people do. And, together, they could grow into something really big. So big that all our kindnesses spill out of our school…spread throughout town…travel across the country and go all the way around the world.” The story is beautifully told, and the illustrations and words resonate with kids. After we finish reading the book, we take turns talking about kind things we have done or seen lately. Let’s raise kind humans together!
