Q: I have a four-year-old son, and I would like to teach him how to perform random acts of kindness. Is there a certain age to begin this process?
A: I would say kudos to you for wanting to start this wonderful trait with your son. There are so many ways to generate and instill this in your son at an early age, then he will remember and naturally perform these random acts throughout his life. More parents need to instill this behavior in their children. Never underestimate the healing power of kindness.
Being a role model for your son is a great way to begin. As he observes you practicing acts of kindness with others, he will observe this and begin doing it himself.
Talk about this with him and create ways he can begin to spread these acts as well. If you’re out in public, perhaps he could open a door for someone, or simply smile and say, “hello,” or “have a nice day.”
Love and kindness are never wasted. They can make an enormous difference in someone’s life. Perhaps you and your son could make sandwiches or bake cookies, and take them to a homeless shelter or to a park. You can tell someone in a restaurant that they’re doing a wonderful job, or put a flower on someone’s windshield. If you see someone who seems sad or down, a loving word can lift up a person. Or you can just send them love and light.
Talk with your son about these kinds of things you can do. One moment of kindness can make a difference in someone’s life.
Everything you and your son do with spreading kindness affects the whole. All thoughts, kind words, images, and good deeds are most helpful. You may not always know how you made someone’s day.
Just know that goodness is contagious and better for transforming our world.