The Kindness Of Nature
Look around you in your everyday world. Nature is both beautiful and kind. Your child will be the first one to hold your hand and walk you over to some interesting thing in nature, perhaps some bug on the sidewalk. My daughter loved ‘rolly-pollies’. I think they were a kind of wood bug, about ¼ inch in size. They can roll up into a tight ball. Got to love those invertebrates!
For the rest of us vertebrates (those of us that house a brain and vertebral column), we could only wish to be so flexible! But, that’s what our brain is for: flexibility. Sure, our vertebral column makes us stiff and upright, but our brain makes us as nimble and bendy as rolly-pollies.
Bend your brain around the concept of kindness. Kindness is an inherent trait. Being kind is a part of being human. But being kind must also be taught and modeled. Role-model kindness for your child today and every day.
Let your child observe you making an exception to the rule, out of kindness. Tell your car-passenger-child, “I don’t think this fellow should cross the street right here. It’s dangerous. But, I’m going to stop anyways and wave at him to let him get to the other side. I want to do it to be kind. He looks sort of lost. And it feels good to be kind.”
Try it once a day in front of your child all summer long. Bend the rule, make an exception, permit the second serving of ice-cream. And ensure your child knows you’re doing it out of kindness. And ensure your child knows that kindness feels good all by itself with no strings attached.
For more ideas on teaching to and learning from children consider reading Suzanne’s book, Unique Learner Solutions. Children and adults with learning disabilities often see the world through a different lens. These individuals often sense the needs of others with a greater urgency than many. Often unique learners are the first to recognize the kindness of the natural world and the kindness of the human spirit. (CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE), Unique Learner Solutions.