Showing kindness can be a very simple thing to do, whether it is in the form of a gentle smile or the wave of a hand invariably the response is kind as well. This illustrates my belief that “Kindness Breeds Kindness”.
Imagine that you are having a really stressful day. You missed your bus to work after your partner had finished the last of the milk resulting in you leaving the house without breakfast only to realise that you had an important meeting first thing that you are now in danger of being super late for. On arrival at work, you are so stressed that you rush past the security guard forgetting to collect your identification pass to access the building. You realise your mistake and with a heavy sigh of exasperation, you turn to rush back only to find that the security guard is standing behind you with a beaming smile and your ID card in his outstretched hand. As I write this I can almost feel the tension in this scenario reduce and sense that a feeling of calm can ensue. This simple act of kindness avoids further tension and stress which would result if the actions of the security guard were to chastise you angrily for not taking your pass and following procedure.
It is exactly the same when we consider the children in our care. We need to treat them with kindness from the outset if we are to achieve a successful day for all of us. Imagine they are late for school and have been rushed to get dressed, rushed to eat breakfast and literally thrown out of the car in the school car park as mum or dad rush to their early morning meeting. Their feeling of frustration at their parent(s) all too visible on their angry face. Greeting them with a kind “Good Morning” or a request about how they are feeling, all wrapped up in a smile can help them transition into their school day in a positive way. They will understand that you are not angry with them and that you appreciate their difficult start to the day. You are showing them that they and their emotions are valued.
We have all experienced being on the receiving end of a caring smile. We all know how that makes us feels. So my message to you today and every day is to just make that extra little effort to be kind, think of others, particularly the children in our care and make their day better. I guarantee that if you give this a try your day will be better too.
I would like to share a health and wellness initiative from my workplace which you might like to consider. During these difficult times of living with a Global Pandemic, a small group of staff members have rallied together to make our working environment a happier place. They have formed a Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Task Force, with the key goal of promoting kindness and positivity. The idea is that the acts are free/inexpensive, take little time and can be included in our daily routines without causing disruption or requiring a lot of planning and effort. These intentional RAKs are intended to boost morale and positively impact mental health.
Most people like to think of themselves as kind, but by focusing on actioning kindness in a more intentional way, real measurable improvements in daily life can be seen. The hope is that kindness will gradually be disseminated throughout the organisation and that without any rules or great fanfare we will all benefit as a result. Some examples of RAKs are: Smiling with genuine warmth. Asking ‘how are you’ and stopping to hear the answer. Making someone a drink. Making encouraging statements. Noticing and commenting on the achievements of others. Noticing and supporting others through disappointments. Giving genuine compliments. Writing a positive note/email. Offering to share small tasks. Leaving a flower/picture/smiley face on someone's desk. Holding open a door/carrying bags etc.
Good Luck!
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