When I was in high school, one of my assignments for a class was to do a random act of kindness, then write a page about it. We drew an “act of kindness” out of a hat, then did what was written on it. Mine was to hand write a letter to three different people, and explain why I was thankful for them. I wrote one to my mom, one to my best friend, and one to my English teacher from the year before. It felt great letting them know how I felt about them, especially since I had never thanked my teacher (I think she improved my essay writing skills more than any teacher I’d ever had, and showed me how to think critically about anything I read). It was one of the best assignments I had ever gotten in school, and it taught me a lot. The point is, acts of kindness not only benefit the receiver, but also the giver. I think it’s a great thing to do with your kids; it teaches them to be kind to others, and helps them stay humble and grateful. Check out this list by Erica Layne at Kids Stuff World for ideas of acts you can do today:
-Pay for the drive-thru order for the car behind you
-Help someone load groceries into their car
-Write a note of thanks for someone who serves you- a mail carrier, cashier, janitor, server, police officer, fire fighter, bus driver, etc. Go out and wave to garbagemen!
-Write a note to a friend, family member, neighbor, or teacher.
-Pick up trash in your neighborhood, at a park, or at a graveyard.
-Tape change to parking meters or vending machines
