Karen Reivich

I was running errands recently, and while waiting in a long line at a store, I realized my meter was about to expire and there was no way to get back to it in time. Another parking ticket was coming my way. But when I got to my car, I saw that someone had put a quarter in my meter and left a sticky note that said, "Random Act of Kindness." I can't tell you how happy I felt! It was like winning the lottery.

The notion of the random act of kindness got me thinking about helping children develop optimism and empowerment. Doing something kind — being a positive contributor to the world — is a simple way to build the belief that good things happen.

As a parent, think about the questions below to deepen your own awareness of kindness:

• How do you feel when you help someone or do something kind for someone.
• When someone does something kind for you, how do you respond?
• What messages did you learn as a child about being kind?
• How do you promote kindness in your children?

There are no limits to the way you can practice kindness; the key word is practice. As a family, make the practicing of kindness a positive habit. You and your children will feel happier with the knowledge that you are bringing happiness to others.

I recommend that you sit with your family and create a list of Random Acts of Kindness. By creating the list, you are setting a goal for your family, making it more likely that you will actually do those kind deeds. See if you can get to fifty or one hundred simple kind acts and then put a star next to each one your family accomplishes. Make it a goal to do at least one act of kindness each day.

To get you started, below are some Random Acts of Kindness my kids and I added to our list:

1. Walk a neighbor’s dog
2. Bring in a neighbor’s trash can
3. Make your brother’s or sister’s bed
4. Take a fifteen-minute walk and pick up any trash you see
5. Call your grandparents and ask them what they did today

As Lao Tzu said, "Kindness in giving creates love."

Sincerely,
Karen Reivich, Ph.D.