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Joy Davis
@everydaywithjoy

56,329 followers

Right now the world is busy back-to-school shopping, attending school open houses and prepping for the upcoming year. With all these to-dos, we run out of time, or forget to go over one of the MOST IMPORTANT things we can send our kids to school with. K I N D N E S S It is up to us to teach that kindness is so much more than wearing a shirt that reads “kindness matters” or sharing with your friends. When we talk about kindness we can teach these three things: 1) Talk TO others, not about them. No one likes being talked about. Gossip is devastating. It damages friendships, creates distrust, and hurts reputations. In addition to dispelling gossip, we can also teach our kids the importance of speaking directly to those with disabilities instead of their aides or teachers. When people ask me about Eme, as she is sitting right next to me in her chair, I always encourage them to say hi to her, since she is the one they are talking about. We can teach this behavior by modeling it ourselves. 2) Different is okay. In fact, it’s not just okay, it’s AMAZING! We can teach our kids what a beautiful thing it is that each of us think, act, create and look different. Teach kids that it’s okay and important to talk to other kids that look and act different. 3) Stand up for others. This isn’t the easiest thing to do. It can be uncomfortable to stand up for someone who seems so different, or when it becomes normal for peers to tease or exclude. But as we model and teach this behavior, it gets less uncomfortable each time. We have the opportunity to teach our kids that when they stand up for others, they become an ADVOCATE for kindness, inclusion, and friendship. I am not perfect at these three concepts, but the more I model the behaviors I want to instill in my children, the easier they get! I use to feel uncomfortable around others that seemed so different from me. I am embarrassed and feel terribly about that. But it’s never too late for us to change and be better. And when we have little kids watching our every move, it’s more important than ever to teach true kindness. • • • • • • #inclusion #backtoschool #kindness #kindnessstartsathome #teachingkindness #kind