Participate in a random act of kindness - Lifestyle - Akron Beacon Journal

What lifts your spirits during these dreary winter days? Sometimes it can be family time together, eating a meal, participating in a school event or relaxing in the evening. Maybe you enjoy something a little more active like going to the gym or taking a hike? I’d like to challenge all of us to reflect on this week and participate in a random act of kindness. Last Sunday, Feb. 16 kicked off the Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK). For seven days individuals from around the world are taking advantage of the boost to share a little kindness in the world around them.

This is an official international holiday that originated in New Zealand and was started by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. They show several studies that kindness is indeed contagious. When something nice is done for one person, it makes the person receiving it more likely to do an act of kindness for someone else. The only real guide is to do something good for someone else.

I think, most of us can see the benefit of sharing with others, but it strikes me as being a vital example to our children. A Harvard psychologist shares the following strategies to raise moral, caring children.

1. Make caring for others a priority. It’s easy to try to make our family members happy but children need to learn to balance their needs with the needs of others. They need to hear from us as their parents that this is important especially as it leads to fulfilling their obligations, honoring their commitments as much as possible. Instead of telling them "the most important this is that you’re happy" say "the most important thing is that you’re kind". Reinforce respect within the home and emphasize caring for others.

2. Provide opportunities for children to practice caring and gratitude. We need to set the example and our children need to see us caring for others and expressing gratitude for those who care for us. Studies show that people who are in the habit of expressing gratitude are more likely to be helpful, generous, compassionate, and forgiving as well as healthy and happy. Doing chores together around the house is a great way to show everyone is part of the family. Not every act needs to be celebrated, only reward uncommon acts of kindness. Use the television shows you watch, to pick out acts of kindness and how your family feels about other behaviors.

3. Expand your child’s circle of concern. Most of us have family and friends, and it is easy to show love and concern for them. Our challenge is to help children learn to care about someone outside of that circle like a new student at school, a new neighbor or a community service group. It may be easy for us to realize how our choices affect our close circle, but how do they affect those more distant from us, like members of a sports team if they choose to quit? Make sure children are friendly and grateful with all the people in their lives, a bus driver, a waitress or caregiver.

4. As parents, we need to be a strong moral role model and mentor. We know that children learn by watching important people in their lives. They also learn by thinking though ethical dilemmas with adults like "should I invite a new neighbor to my birthday party when my best friend doesn’t like her?" That gives us the opportunity to practice honesty, fairness, and caring ourselves. That doesn’t mean we get it right 100%, but children need to know we make mistakes and when we acknowledge that, it helps to establish trust with them as well. This communication also allows us to really listen to them and hear their perspectives.

5. Guide children in managing destructive feelings. Often the ability to care for others is overwhelmed by anger, shame, envy or other negative feelings. We need to help our children understand that all feelings are okay, but some ways of dealing with them are not helpful. Children need our help in learning to cope with these feelings. Ideas to teach a child to calm down include trying deep breathing or taking a 5-minute break.

I’m sure as you are reading this you can come up with ideas to share with your family. Use this as a topic around the dinner table or while waiting for the bus. Random Acts of kindness give all of us an opportunity to share the blessings in our life to those around us.

— Melinda Hill is an OSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722. CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu.