Did you know that February 11-17 is officially Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) week? Why is this important to your child? As we hear about the increase in bullying in schools, there is compelling evidence that kindness can not only combat these instances but also lead to improved academic performance among children.
Raising healthy children isn’t just about the food they eat or the amount of physical activity they participate in, it’s also about the character that he or she is developing. RAK week is a great way for your family to take some time to focus on continuing to develop this specific character trait.
You’ll find lots of ideas on the RAK website but we wanted to share one fun idea that you can use. The week before RAK week, find an old jar and create your “kindness jar.” After a family meal, give everyone seven small sheets of paper and have them write down RAK ideas (you’ll have to help your younger kids with this). Make them simple things like: compliment 3 people today, smile at everyone you meet all day long, do something nice for someone in your family, do something nice for a friend, etc.) Put all of the notes in a jar and every morning, have each family member draw a slip of paper. They are to perform that RAK throughout the day. At dinnertime, share what was on your paper and how you fulfilled your act. At the end of the week you’ll be amazed at how much your acts of kindness have impacted your life and family!
