It’s universal that parents hope their kids will be good people. No one wants their child to be a bully or selfish, but it isn’t always clear how you can make sure your children are willing to be kind to other people.

Luckily there are a few time-tested ground rules that promote kindness in kids. If you want to raise kind children, you need to consciously make certain decisions that build an environment of kindness in Niceville. 

In this article our child care experts cover three important steps to instill kindness in your children and ensure they grow up to be the considerate, promising young adults you imagine.

Lead by Example

Has your child ever repeated a word after you? Have you ever noticed that they dress up like you on occasion? Have they laughed at a joke they definitely do not understand because you were laughing?

This is all due to children’s instincts to imitate behavior, and you are their role models. Children learn a lot from observing what their parents do and often take on the personality traits that you exhibit.

This puts the onus on your plate. You need to be the person you want your child to be. Make sure to model the generosity and kindness you want your kids to exude.

Monitor Screentime

We live in an overstimulated world. The internet has its pros, but it should not be the place where your kid is spending the majority of their time, especially with the beautiful weather we experience almost all year in Niceville. The internet poses two major problems for kindness in kids.

First, the internet prematurely exposes children to violence, cyber-bullying, and hateful rhetoric they might not even comprehend. Since they are too young to understand the evil presence online, they don’t understand the consequences of this kind of behavior and can adopt similar language and behavior.

The second issue with the internet is social media. While there are positives such as connectivity and creative development, social media promotes a narcissistic culture. 

Social media encourages a “me-me-me” mentality and can cause inflated egos. These two realities of the online world can be detrimental to a child’s ability to be kind both online and offline.

Listen

If someone has concerns about your child’s behavior, make sure to listen.

Sometimes it is hard to see your child as anything less than perfect, but often parents ignore negative complaints from peers, family, teachers, and coaches. Addressing behavioral concerns earlier can prevent them from becoming permanent personality traits.

Raising Kind Kids in Niceville

Raising kind kids in today’s world is about being the role model you want them to become, monitoring their screentime and digital engagements, and lastly listening to voiced concerns from people you know and trust in Niceville.

You and your child will have lapses in behavior, it is normal, but creating an environment of kindness and teaching your kids to share, give back, and be grateful from a young age will reap rewards in developing kind kids that grow up to be wonderful people. If your child is ready to start child care or a VPK program, contact Grow With Us today.