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Raising kids to be kind and inclusive

I did not want to title this post “Violence in Schools,” although that is what my thoughts today stem from. I do not want to sensationalize the tragedies any more than the media already has done. There are families affected that deserve the respect to mourn in peace.

It is my belief that we do need more goodness and more acceptance and genuine kindness in the world.

I think if we taught our kids to practice acceptance of differences and inclusion and diversity from an early age maybe less things like this would happen.

You hear of bullying in primary grade schools now. Where does this bullying behavior stem from? My guess is it’s learned behavior and environmental factors come into play. We cannot parent the children of the world, but we can instill values of kindness, acceptance, and good will in our own children. By doing this we can hope that their behavior will rub off positively on other children. I don’t think it’s ever acceptable to say, “nothing can be done to prevent these tragedies.” It is never too late to bring up children in a way that will allow them to be kind and caring citizens of the world. By doing this it is my belief that you did your part in trying to make the world a better place. Sometimes it is not about the amount of money you spend on charities or directly impacting a world cause, but it is the way you raise your family and prepare them to go out into the world to move mountains that will ultimately lead to more peace and good will in the world.

Some may disagree that you can’t change others by practicing kindness and good will yourself. But in my experience joy and happiness is contagious. If someone comes to work each day with a positive outlook that will transfer to that person’s team/ co-workers. If someone constantly has a negative outlook, that will also impact the team in a negative way. Emotions are very transferable, especially for those of us labeled as sensitive (I am one of the sensitive people who can pick up on everyone’s emotions).

While I don’t have an answer for stopping violence, I do believe some of the emotional work and instilling of values can be practiced from a young age with our children. If anything it will set them up for a good path forward and the ability to practice empathy and acceptance of differences in other children, teens, and eventually adults. After all, our children must eventually walk out into the world without us, and if we can give them the tools to succeed at being genuinely kind and accepting world citizens, why wouldn’t we? If we knew we did all we possibly could to instill good values in our children, then ultimately we would live without a regret knowing they are taking these values out into the world and practicing them.

In the past two years I have been on a journey of exploring equality for working moms, mostly, but also have taken into consideration inclusion and diversity for all. If companies create roles that specifically steward inclusion and diversity efforts, why can’t these types of efforts begin in schools from a young age? I am not implying it will solve all violence or end all tragic outcomes, but if children could learn acceptance as a topic just like English or Math, it might sink in and allow them to enter their young adult lives with more empathy and a true understanding of differences.

My daughter is only 2.5, but she already knows it is “not nice” to pull hair, pull the dog’s tail, etc. As she grows older and matures it is our responsibility to teach her the values she can understand at each age progressively. She can ultimately make her own life decisions but hopefully by using the important values we instilled in her.

I will finish with a request. If you took the time to read this post today, please try to do one positive thing. Whether that is smiling and waving to your neighbor, giving a friend a boost if they’re feeling down, or simply telling your children about a positive story or act of kindness that you experienced. Spread the kindness and goodness in the world, and maybe eventually it will all come back around.

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Hi, I'm Kelli!

I help mom entrepreneurs rediscover their intuitive power and step fully into their soul purpose through subconscious reprogramming, clearing and alignment, life coaching and authentic brand building (marketing, copy, messaging) so that they can take back their power in their lives, build a purpose-driven business and wake up excited to start each day.

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