Finding ways to practice kindness doesn’t have to be a major production. Kindness comes in many different shapes, sizes and forms. Here are some ideas to help your children, at any age, understand the true spirit of Christmas so they can apply it in their own lives.
Leave a homemade treat with a kind note for your mailman in the mailbox. These men and women provide such a thankless service every day, regardless of weather conditions, traffic and more. Let them know you appreciate what they do for you.
Spend time with the elderly, especially those who are homebound or in assisted living. Help an elderly neighbor with Christmas decorations, grocery shopping, yard maintenance — or simply spend some time with them talking and being a companion. This will mean more to them than you will ever know.
Be a Dollar Store angel. Leave 10 [or any other desired amount of] $1 bills in random spots in the dollar store. If you’re feeling extra kind, leave the little bit extra for tax. Imagine how happy the single mother shopping for her kids will be — or the child who wants a toy but mommy and daddy are hesitant to buy one because of their tight budget. It sounds like so little to some of us, but it makes such a HUGE difference in the lives of others who really need it.
Remember children in the hospital or in hospice care. Make small gift baskets for kids who are in the hospital, and deliver them with your children.
Be kind to someone you dislike. Our children are always watching and listening. What do you think they see and hear when they look at you?
Cleanout! Use this time of the year to collect your child’s old books that they no longer read and donate them to a children’s center, shelter or local library. You can also do this with clothing, shoes and other necessities.
Donate your time to new or exhausted parents. Offer your time to stressed or tired parents for free babysitting. Bring your own kids along as playmates and helpers! Imagine being a new parent and having the chance to get out for a few hours to do a little (peaceful) Christmas shopping, have a quiet coffee break or simply get some very necessary errands done. This basic act of kindness means so much to parents who desperately need a break.
Donate the spare change in your car to the Salvation Army bell-ringers. We all have ungodly amounts of change lying around, especially in our cars. Put those coins to good use and donate them! Grab a few coins every time you come across a bell-ringer and toss them into the bucket. It may seem like very little, but all that money adds up quickly.
Finding ways to practice kindness doesn’t have to be a major production. Kindness comes in many different shapes, sizes and forms. Here are some ideas to help your children, at any age, understand the true spirit of Christmas so they can apply it in their own lives.
