people ’ s feelings ( 2 ) . Merriam-Webster defines it as of a sympathetic or helpful nature ( 3 ) .
To be honest , I ’ m not certain he comprehends the undertaking he has chosen . However , the idea that he gravitates toward this principle by nature makes my soul sing .
“ Ok , Declan , what do you choose to be today ?” “ Kind ,” he replies .
So , I take it a step further . “ Ok . What does it mean to be kind ?”
“ Helpful .” Solid , kid . That ’ s a solid start .
His reply really got me thinking : What does kindness mean to kids in our surrounding communities ?
I see them on bikes . Walking their dogs . Skateboarding in the streets . Hanging in the park . Texting . Talking . Swimming in pools . Cruising around the beach . Do these kids have the same idea of kindness that my 3-year-old is developing ? I decided to ask .
Children in local counties answered the question , “ What does kindness mean to you ?” Here are their responses :
➥ Friendly , generous and considerate . Brendan , 10 .
➥ It means to be nice to others . Help when you did not do it . Pick-up stuff . Help / volunteer for things . Have a big SMILE and be nice . Ka ’ voni , 9 .
➥ Not hitting and not scaring people . Helping another one . Aaron , 5 .
➥ Kindness to me means being considerate to others . Haley , 9 .
➥ Respecting others , loving , wanting to be around them . Respecting the difference between us . Caroline , 9 .
➥ Respecting others ’ personal space and how they feel , and what they like or think about you . Ava , 9.5 .
➥ It means having respect for someone . Dixon , 9 .
➥ Treat people nicely no matter how they look . Braden , 9 .
➥ Helping . Emily , 9 .
Kind is a Verb
There is still more to learn on this journey of kindness , both for my son and myself . Being helpful is an excellent place to start . And while we each have room to grow , he is learning certain actions just aren ’ t acceptable . Things like throwing his “ swords ” at mommy and daddy or hitting the dog with them . Indeed , these are not actions of a kind person .
When he calls me out , saying , “ Be kind , mama ,” I instantly halt . I must admit , it ’ s a humbling dose of innocent honesty that truly grounds me ; a sudden jab of truth I didn ’ t know I needed .
Although kind is designated as an adjective , in our world , it ’ s more a verb ; it ’ s what you do . This daily exercise , this mantra-setting , social awareness practice we have started , has also transformed our household . There ’ s a new standard for behavior and interactions . A precedent has been set . I , too , pause before an unfair statement and take a deep breath before uttering an untoward comment , striving to be a beacon of kindness . Behaviors are changing , from the youngest to the oldest , how we act in our home and outside of it , we now proceed with a sweeter intention . Perhaps this will take off for our son so he can venture into the world , being his own little ball of glowing energy for everyone he encounters . Maybe he ’ ll be an example to his schoolmates , a little leader , someone who stands up for others . We have yet to see .
The ultimate aspiration I have for this morning exercise is that he learns he has the power to change his behavior and mood , as well as the opportunity to positively affect other individuals to do the same . And that ’ s a lesson he ’ ll carry with him for years to come .
In a world seemingly plagued with contention , controversy and crime , maybe these words from our children need to be highlighted , revisited and reexamined even more . And perhaps , we parents are doing a much better job than we think . Maybe we ’ re even working towards an unspoken , more unified future , one kind action at a time .
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