Starting the School Year on a Kind Note
We moved across the country shortly before my oldest child entered first grade. As she waited at the bus stop on the first day of school, another child walked up and said, “Do you want to sit with me on the bus?”
Years later, my daughter still remembers that bus ride. It was a small kindness that made a big difference. And it didn’t happen by accident. When I turned to thank the girl’s mom, she shared that they had practiced the bus ride invitation together in advance.
As we get backpacks and supplies ready for the new year, we might also want to pack our kids with a few practical tools for being that kid — the one who includes the child sitting alone at recess and smiles at younger students in the hallway.
This summer, I’ve arranged three playdates with kids who will be new to my son’s school this year. Why? Because he has been that new kid before (more than once!), and this is a chance to pay it forward AND to strengthen his friendship skills. Win-win!
My primary parenting goal is to raise kind kids — kind to themselves and to others. Fred Rogers had it right when he said, “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
Anyway, I asked PBS KIDS if I could write about this topic for my back-to-school column this year and they said yes! So click on this link to read some practical tips for helping kids start the year on a kind note.
And from the archives, here are a couple of my other PBS KIDS back-to-school columns. Click on the image to read.
Cheers,
Deborah
Deborah Farmer Kris, Parenthood365.com
