kindness matters {especially to your littles}

as parents, kindness is so so super important. kindness is basically love in action. and one of the greatest expressions of genuine love is showing kindness to our children. it’s easy to think that because we are the parents, because we are so much more mature and have sacrificed so much for them, we can treat them however we want. but love reminds us that our sacrifices certainly don’t give us a license to be uncaring or harsh.

your littles are more sensitive to you than anyone else on earth. when you treat them unkindly, resist them or ignore them they will likely struggle inside and not respond well to you. but when you create an environment of tender love and kindness, they become more open to sharing their heart with you and listening to the words you say and the lessons you share.

we need to learn to be gentle, sensitive and tenderhearted. when we start being tenderhearted, it’s easy to be kind. having a heart that is easily touched and sensitive doesn’t mean your weak, although that’s what the world would say. if we are sensitive to those around us, we start seeing their needs instead of our own. have a loving, tenderhearted, compassionate attitude and let it shine for everyone to see.

love leads you to look for opportunities to show kindness to your littles. this doesn’t mean doing everything
for them. it doesn’t mean buying them everything under the sun.  it just means loving them, isn’t that easy?  when they talk, listen.  when they cry, hug them.  when they laugh, laugh with them.  when they have a bad day, cook them their fav meal.  when they make a mistake, love them.  when you’re shopping, buy them a treat.  let them pick a show to watch, a game to play or a song to listen to.   

kindness is also finding a balance between loving them well and teaching them to love others. part of them becoming an effective adult is learning as a child to have a servants heart (aka…kindness in action). that’s a heart they should see reflected in us as parents.  if they watch us being kind to others, they will reflect that as adults. acts of kindness don’t have to be be huge, expensive, flashy ordeals. smile at someone, hold the door for them, give them the 30 cents they are searching for to pay for their McDonald’s order, help them carry their bags to the car, hug them when you can see they need one, take time to talk to them and pray with them and for them.