“Teaching children kindness and compassion, like many things, begins at home,” says Johannesburg clinical psychologist, Kelly Owen. “As parents, we need to consistently model the behaviours which we want to grow and nurture in our children. Children will absorb their parents’ attitudes, ideas, morals and values and then mirror those very things.”
With this in mind, Dr Owen says: “Parents need to be aware of how they treat others in front of their children. The very kindness, compassion and understanding that we want to see in our children must be present and clearly evident in our approach to parenting. This is extended to the way parents treat each other in front of their children. We need to be authentic as people, partners and as parents – remembering that consistency is key. Lead by example. My focus is to instil values and not just teaching children specific behaviours.”
Dr Owen says one way to teach children care, kindness, nurture and unconditional love through a pet. “Pets help children to become aware of the needs of others by having to consciously step out of their egocentric world. This allows them to learn how to be considerate to others - both pets and people. The added benefit is that children learn about responsibility through having to feed and care for animals.”
For Mandela Day, consider these five ideas to “pay it forward” with your children, and in so doing give them life education too. These small acts will demonstrate the kindness, generosity, humility and reconciliation that Madiba stood for.
Clean up your area
Pick up litter, pull out weeds on the pavement and generally tidy up your immediate neighbourhood or street. If your own street is tidy, just look a little further.
Feed the hungry
Round up a few friends, let them bring along their kids and a few non-perishable items from their grocery cupboard. Make up food packages of self-opening cans; add loaves of bread, box milk and some fruit. Then drive around the community and hand out the packages to people who are in need.
Visit the elderly
Bake or buy some cupcakes, let the children pick some garden flowers, and head for an old age facility near you. Let the children hand out cupcakes and flowers and spend some time talking to the older folks – it will make their day. If you have an elderly neighbour, offer to do their shopping for them, or mow their lawn.
Spend time with kids
Take your children to play with children at a nearby orphanage. Take along some unneeded toys, cupcakes or sweets to share and let them all have fun together.
Help in the neighbourhood
See what’s needed in your community and dive in, be it a lick of paint on a wall, the school garden that needs weeding, or desks that need sanding. There is always work to be done for willing hands.
IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com