Be Kind – It's Good For You

stickywicket

In an experiment carried out recently by the University of British Columbia and the University of California among primary school students, half the children were asked to perform acts of kindness - food sharing, or giving hugs for example - and half were asked to keep note of pleasant places they visited. The children who were kind had more friends, more fun and felt happier than those who carried out activities which pleased only themselves.

Sometimes life can be pleasingly simple

Slosh

It can!
Reminds me of The Waterbabies and Mrs Do -as-you-would -be-done-by.

My junior school headmistress 's saying was "Not everyone can be clever but everyone can be courteous"

barbara12

what a good experiment...think we had better take note..it would be nice if they would learn children this in school..one of the many values that seem to have slipped in the last 50 years or so..

Boomer13

Sometimes life can be pleasingly simple [/quote]

I love it

Slosh

As a primary school teacher I can say that children are taught this in school, through both assemblies and also as part of the curriculum . In fact my last assembly was on the gift of kindness and care. I would also say the majority of teenagers are also kind and caring, unfortunately they never get in the papers.

barbara12

Slosh wrote:

As a primary school teacher I can say that children are taught this in school, through both assemblies and also as part of the curriculum . In fact my last assembly was on the gift of kindness and care. I would also say the majority of teenagers are also kind and caring, unfortunately they never get in the papers.

Slosh I am not one of these elderly people that see teenagers or younger has bad people, I have two teenage gds and they bring many firends around to ours, and we love it.. :xmas_smile: but I do think that values have slipped..and its such a shame, but good to know that schools have picked up on it..

Slosh

I hope I didn't offend you Barbara12, schools work hard on this but these values start in the home.

LignumVitae

That's a lovely experiment and one that should be carried out more. You can already see it with the girls though, they love to help. I think, before society gets in the way, being kind and helpful is a basic human trait. We just seem to unlearn it too quickly in the pursuit of personal gain, failing to realise that it is a great way to personal gain.

dreamdaisy

It's logical, isn't it? Be kind to others and they will be kind back to you and maybe kinder to others. I find it interesting that, when I let someone into a stream of traffic, they may say thank you but rarely let another person in front of them!

We all know people who are not spontaneously kind or thoughtful and generally they don't have many friends. Maybe it's part of their essential nature though, I am not sure that these things can be specifically taught as such but can certainly be demonstrated within the home and the greater social world. DD

stickywicket

I think one reason why this resonated with me was because, over Christmas, we got to meet our grandson's 10yr old 'enemy'. I'd never really believed the tales I'd heard about O until I met him.

"Why did O break my glasses, Mummy?" Our grandson asked.

"Because no-one has taught him to be kind." replied my dil. I don't know if that's the complete answer but kindness surely does have to be taught, demonstrated and encouraged.

barbara12

Slosh wrote:

I hope I didn't offend you Barbara12, schools work hard on this but these values start in the home.

No offense what so ever Slosh, like I say I am glad to see that schools are doing there bit but yes its down to the parents x

Slosh

I always remember this from my first teaching job many moons ago.

In reception we had a couple of ginger hsired twin girls with the surname Herbert, who really lived up to the name.

Just before the end of the first half-term their Mother asked to meet the classteacher slong with the headmistress. At this meeting they complained about their twins behaviour, that they were being rude and misbehaved and asked what the school were going to do about it. The headmistress replied " Mrs Herbert, you must understand that in 5 weeks it is impossible for us to teach what shoukd have been taught in 5 years."

theresak

That's a fantastic riposte from a headmistress, Slosh - wonderful!!