kindness and love: What these two words mean for our children

As we enter the year of 2017, we have never been surrounded by so many troubling world events. It’s impossible to escape – we’re being hammered with it on social media, TV, radio, and throughout our daily discussions with friends and family.   There is no time more important than NOW to focus on the GOOD in the world, reminding ourselves to always be kind and loving… and we must all work hard together to spread that love around.


How do we do that?  A great place to start is with our children.  Let’s talk to our children about what is important in this life, and that is KINDNESS and LOVE.  Have you wondered what these words mean to them?


Pure, honest and innocent, they speak from their hearts without any hesitation or inhibitions.  Let’s hear what these two words mean from their own mouths, and let these words of wisdom give us all a little hope and inspiration.


What Does Kindness Mean to You?

– Being a good person to your family, and taking care of them when they are sick or feeling sad.  If someone is having a bad day, be extra nice to them and don’t bother them – Parker, 7


– Kindness is being nice to a friend, especially if someone is playing alone.  Never make fun of someone and share your food – Cameron, 9


– To be kind means to standing up for someone and care for them and generally be there for them – Celia, 6th grader


– Being kind means standing up for one another, helping each other and taking care of each other – Kira, 4th grader


– To be kind is to have respect – Stephen, 4th grader


– Kind means to be nice to someone – Joseph, 1st grader


– To respect others, show how much you love them and helping others who need help – Kailei, 4th grader


– To be kind means not to be mean to people – Anonymous, 4th grader


– Kind means loving, treating others with respect – Anonymous, 4th grader


– Be nice to others, help and be happy and helpful – Owen, 11


– Kindness means to help others and to forgive and forget and be nice to others – Peyton, 9


– That you don’t be mean and say hurtful things – Finn, 6


– When you feed me – Dylan, 3


– It helps love get around the world – Damon, 9


– Kindness is you need to treat people good – Harper, 5


– Being nice to everyone you know – Avery, 5


– When you’re being kind to someone you’re being nice to them and you’re being their friend – Val, 8


– When you’re being nice to someone – Ellie, 8


– Giving kisses and hugs and being nice – Emmett, 3


– Kindness is doing what you know is right to make other people happy – Evan, 11


– Be kind – Juno, 4


– Being nice and thoughtful – Nina, 7


– When you’re being nice and helping – Amaya, 4


– Being friends with someone – Cole, 6


– Kindness is helping someone – Isaac, 8


– Being calm, nice and giving kisses to someone – Alina, 4


– To make someone who is sad – make them happy, and you’re kind hearted-  like you’re being nice to someone and they really appreciate it and they’ll be nice to you – Anonymous, 4th grader


What Does Love Mean to You?
– Love is always telling someone you love them more.  If someone looks like they had a bad day, give them a long hug  that usually cheers them up!   Love is also making something for them, not buying a gift.   I think that shows a lot of love – Parker, 7


– Love is doing what you don’t really want to do because you know that person wants to do that, like I don’t always want to play UNO but I know that my sister does so I do it to make her happy  – Cameron, 9


– Having appreciation for people – Celia, 6th grader


– Love means being there, hugs, kisses, fully being there and helping them. To be present and visible – Kira, 4th grader


– Love is what you feel when you really care about someone – Stephen, 4th grader


– Love means when you care for people so much – Joseph, 1st grader
– Love means helping others around you, sharing and keeping others safe and comfortable – Kailei, 4th grader


– Love is when you really care for somebody or something –  Anonymous, 4th grader


– Love is honesty, friendship, happiness and helpfulness – Anonymous, 4th grader


– It keeps people together and makes people happy – Owen, 11


– It means it makes happiness and makes a happy thought – Peyton, 9


– It’s happiness in your heart and you have it in your body – Finn, 6


– When you feed me more –  Dylan, 3


– Love makes the world go around – Damon, 9


– Kissing – Mia, 4


– Family – Victor, 11


– People loving people – Harper, 5


– Liking someone but a lot – Avery, 5


– Love is about friendship and being nice and hugs and kisses – Ava, 5


– When you love someone you want to take care of them and if they’re sick you want to help them –  Val, 8


– When you treat something or someone nicely and when you like them – Ellie, 8


– Pancakes – Luke, 4


– Giving kisses – Emmett, 3


– Something really enjoyable or someone that you look forward to seeing – Evan, 11


– I love you, to love everybody – Juno, 4


– Loving, sharing and caring – Nina, 7


– I love you – Amaya, 4


– Love is taking care of someone and marrying them – Cole, 6


– Love is family – Isaac, 8


– Love is mommy and daddy, God and friends – Alina, 4


– Caring for someone else – Tessa, 8


– When you love someone you feel happy inside and very comfortable with them inside – Anonymous, 4th grader


“The best portion of a good person’s life are their little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love”. – William Wadsworth