In today’s world, nurturing kindness in children is as crucial as fostering their intellectual growth. According to insights from Parents.com, there are five routine practices that can help cultivate kindness in young ones.

Joseph Laino, PsyD, a psychologist at NYU Langone’s Sunset Terrace Family Health Center, emphasizes the importance of “soft skills.” He explains, “Skills such as empathy, compassion, and generosity are just as vital as academic achievements. In fact, they complement and enhance each other.”

Incorporating these five simple habits into your parenting approach can significantly impact your child’s development over time.

Foster Compassion and Empathy

Encouraging children to care for others with empathy and compassion not only shapes their personal understanding but also enriches their perception of the world. This foundation aids them in developing meaningful relationships and bolsters their emotional intelligence.

“If they get along more cooperatively with teachers, authority figures, and peers,” Dr. Laino says, “that can help them get the most out of their academics and have a more fulfilling and less frustrating experience overall.”

Teach Your Kid To Act Like a Humanitarian

Teaching children to act like a humanitarian fosters global awareness, leadership, and responsibility. In a digital age, where children spend the majority of their time watching screens, it is important for them to overcome the “danger of disconnection and isolation.” Modeling Humanitarian behavior for children, creates a lasting positive impact that will shape lifelong habits of service and generosity. 

“From little acorns grow giant oaks,” Dr. Laino says. “Our children take out into the world what we give them at home.”

Teach Gratitude Daily 

Teaching children to practice daily gratitude goes hand-in-hand with building their empathy. When children appreciate what others do for them, they are more likely to treat people with respect and compassion. Plus, regular gratitude is linked to lower anxiety and greater happiness. 

Talk Openly About World Events 

Information, good or bad, is at our fingertips 24-7. Parents should talk openly about world events without scaring children because they are absorbing what is going on around them. By teaching them to understand what is happening in the world around them, parents are taking a roll in helping their children not get lost in and swallowed by misinformation. 

“Children often understand more than we realize,” Andrea Mucino-Sanchez, the public information and communications officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told Parents. “Take the lead and explain, in age-appropriate ways, what is happening in places like Ukraine, Sudan, and other crisis zones.”

Create Space for Regular Conversations

Teaching and guiding a child to become more kinder isn’t a one and done moment. It takes time, regular conversations, patience, and check-ins. Creating a space is very important for ensuring that your child becomes a kinder adult. 

“Prioritize time together, like family dinners, to talk about what’s happening in the world,” Mucino-Sanchez said. 

This is the ideal moment for parents to just have a simple conversation with their children, allowing them to learn, listen, and critically develop skills and ways that they can positively contribute to society for a lifetime.