We want what is best for our children and it is something all parents can agree on. It’s one thing that unifies all parents. The only way to set up our children for the very best comes down to the foundation we give them. If we want kind, loving, gentle and compassionate children there are things we must do and things we should not do.
We also must model that type of behavior because our children watch what we do. They may not say anything but they are watching and quite intently at that. Here are 10 suggestions for raising a kind and compassionate child.
1 We Must Model Acceptable Behavior
We must be kind to others and treat each other with respect. We must have very strong values and morals. We need to be a good friend. Celebrate the difference in everyone. Talk about when someone is being kind and compassionate. You are your child’s number one and greatest teacher. You are their first teacher. Our actions speak louder then any words we can say to our children. Children see and understand hypocrisy in others even at a very young age.
How do you treat a store employee? How do you treat that annoying telemarketer? How do you treat your mother in law? What do you say behind people’s backs? Does your child see and hear your kindness and compassion?
2 Act Loving
Show your child compassion. Be ever so gentle when others make mistakes. Show forgiveness to others. Respond to your child’s needs with love so they learn you are always there to take care of them even during problem behavior and acting act. They then will learn to trust others and know they are not alone in this big and scary world.
Through these experiences, your child will develop a sense of themselves as a person who deserves to be loved and cared for and has you for a role model. This will teach them to care for others.
3 Teach Them Generosity
Give back to others. Volunteer, get involved in something much bigger then your every day lives. Get involved in the community, support a local cause, attend church, donate items to others. There are many lessons to be learned from these things.
So make service to others a routine thing. Teach them to volunteer, donate to others, share with others and they can see how their acts influence others. With a compassionate, giving and loving heart there is no room for entitlement and self-serving behavior.
4 Practice You Own Self Love
Teach them how to love themselves by showing them that you love who you are. Do what you need to do to be a happy parent. Before you can attend to the needs of your child you need to take care of you. When you are relaxed and rested, eating healthy, exercising, going out on a date night then you are better able to meet your child’s many needs. You will have a better relationship with your child if you take care of yourself.
5 Encourage Helping Other People
Give positive responses to when your children help you to promote more helping behaviors when they are learning new skills. As they learn new skills they may need less reinforcement which may undermine intrinsic decisions to help. They can help with sweeping, putting clothes in the washer, plates on the table, putting toys away.
There are many more ways but these are some of the most important. Teach your child today to become tomorrow’s kind, loving and compassionate adults. It’s not hard, we just need to be that way ourselves.