Raising a loving child – How to encourage your kids to be loving
Walking in our apartment one day, I noticed some kids riding a cycle. To my utter horror, I saw one of them ride precariously close to an elder person who was walking with a support stick.
Luckily the older gentleman did not fall but he did get bumped in the ribs by the cycle handlebar. What was worse was that none of the kids stopped to help him but just breezed away laughing when he showed his displeasure & pain. A few of us adults helped him and complained to the security. One of the kids’ mom muttered that it was the man’s fault that he was walking where the kids were playing.
This incident disturbed me a lot. I went home wondering what is happening to the world today. As kids, we were raised to be really considerate and loving.
Compassionate towards those around us, our own and strangers too. It scares me that the generation today is taught to be hard, uncaring, and cultivate a “Me-First” attitude.
Luckily for me, Miss P is very loving by nature. But as a mom, I always keep looking out for activities that promote kindness in my child.
The best way to do that is of course by setting an example.. Your child will see how you behave and will copy. If you are rude to people, they will grow up to think its ok to be rude themselves. It is very important for raising a loving child. This simple activity is very popular in our house.
It’s the Love Letter Box.
Make a Paper Mailbox
We made a pink mailbox .. It’s fairly easy for kids to make on their own.
We used a thick cardstock.. 12×8 inch wide. We folded the sides about 3 inches on both sides along the wide edge. Stapled the edges together to form a tunnel shape. We closed one end and added a cute mailbox handle too. If you have 2 kids you can make two mailboxes. One for each one of them. You can even decorate the mailbox with foam letters spelling their names.
Fill the Mailbox with Love Tasks
Once a day, I put a little something in Miss P’s mailbox, from little notes telling her something I love about her. I thought maybe I could use this to not only focus on receiving love…but sharing some love as well! ..
We made little love notes using craft sticks – we wrote small tasks on the backs of the sticks and then twisted a pipe cleaner around it. Lil P loved to stick punched hearts at the top.
Here are a few tasks we wrote on our craft sticks.
- Hold the elevator door open for someone today
- Say thank you to the gardener today
- Make a handmade card for someone you love today
- Help someone cross the road
- Help someone carry their bags
- Give up your seat for someone deserving in the metro today
- Write a letter to your Grandpa or Grandma today
- Make a handmade gift for your best friend.
- Eat lunch with the new kid in class to make her welcome
- Give a stranger a heartfelt compliment today
- Feed the birds
- Set the table for dinner
- Plant something.
- Clean up your room without being asked.
- Read a book to someone.
- Wave at kids on school buses.
- Pick up litter.
- Send a postcard to a friend.
- Collect books for the library.
We made a couple of these and put them in the mailboxes .. Lil P loves to pick a note each day and do the “love” task in it.. As the days went by, we added more tasks.
Isn’t that a simple activity that you can do at your home too? I’m sure your kids will love it too.
What love tasks would you add?? Don’t forget to leave a comment with your thoughts below.
That’s a simple activity… and expandable too.. you know.. some teenagers are better off that way i guess.. and at times, even works for spouse too 😉
That is a such a lovely thought.!!1
Beautiful idea!! Would love to try.
A very humble and beautiful thought!!
Thanks Subha
Thank you for this suggestion. I will encourage this in the afterschool program I teach in the U.S. I agree it is important to model compassion and courtesy and also teach and reinforce these values through fun activities such as this and our daily lives. May our efforts find fruition in the coming generations. 🙂