K is for Kindness — Raising Kind Kids

**“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”**
**—Desmond Tutu**
Never underestimate the effect an act of kindness can have – even the smallest of gestures can make a difference to a person’s day. In these troubled times, the kindness revolution seems more important than ever before. Certainly, as parents, if asked what qualities we’d like to instil in our children, we suspect that kindness ranks pretty highly. We all want to raise kind kids and here are just a few of the brands we love, spreading the message of kindness near and far!

The Kindness Coop

The Kindness Coop’s range of socially responsible, organic, unisex sweatshirts, tees, bags and badges are all locally screen-printed with simple yet powerful messages which encourage us to be kind to the planet, our fellow human beings and ourselves! Having both faced life changing illnesses, founders, friends and mums, Lucie and Charlie, were at the receiving end of enormous kindness and now want to pay it forward! For every kids clothing purchase from this collection children become ‘kindness ambassadors’, receiving an exclusive illustrated booklet and sticker sheet. What’s more, for every piece sold, The Kindness Coop donate to YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity championing the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people. https://www.thekindnessco-op.com/

The Kindness Rocks Project™

One message at just the right time can change someone’s entire day, outlook, or life! That’s the philosophy of The Kindness Rocks Project thought up by American, Megan Murphy as she walked along the beach in Cape Cod one day in 2015. She wrote ‘you’ve got this’ on a rock, left it on the sand and a friend found it! She saw it as a sign, started leaving more rocks and now the grassroots movement which started life as one woman’s mission to sprinkle positivity around her local community, has now spread across the globe in various guises. Different rock groups have different premises – some are hidden, some are designed to travel across regions, others photographed and shared on social media before being returned for somebody else to find. So too, some support charities, events or initiatives. But all remain true to the projects original origins – to spread a little kindness, spark joy and brighten someone’s day. Why not start your own local campaign! https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/

Kindpreneurs

Discover purposeful brands, conscious goods and go kind shopping at Kindpreneurs. Whether helping to reduce poverty, supporting animal welfare, protecting the planet, or boosting mental health, this online marketplace brings together kindpreneurs who are using their business as a force for good in the world. From card games which inspire kids to care for the environment and zero waste notebooks to mindful colouring sheets and hug tokens which give back to the NHS and Samaritans, choose which value you want to shop by and purchase from businesses that care about the same things you do. https://kindpreneurs.com/

My Kindness Calendar

We’ve long been a fan of the My Kindness Calendar – calendars that inspire and help children and adults alike to perform and track daily acts of kindness, instilling compassion and the spirit of giving, while creating meaningful moments as a family. From family members to the environment, neighbours to your local and global community, each act is fun, affordable and easy-to-do, can be performed by people of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents and be enjoyed countless times over. As opposed to being prescriptive, the unique designs empower children to make their own action plans, selecting an engaging act which aligns with their mood and interests, encouraging them to think about kindness critically and independently, building greater accountability, engendering a sense of pride, and helping to raise kind kids and future role models. 5% of profits go towards charity. https://mykindnesscalendar.com/

Kind Words for Kids Cards

Being kind isn’t just about showing others that you care. It’s also about speaking positively to yourself! And it’s vital to instil this healthy habit from a young age. We love these beautifully illustrated affirmation and wellbeing cards which have been written to help children build a positive and healthy self-image, equipping them with the mental strength and confidence to deal with life’s ups and downs (much like Stib!). Use them daily or whenever your child’s self-esteem needs a boost, as discussion cues around the dinner table or as a motivational tool on the school run. Pop one in their lunch box or stick one on their mirror for them to ponder while they brush their teeth, starting their day off on a good foot. Visit the website for more ways on how to use these brilliant cards - https://www.kindwordsforkids.com/

Join Stib’s Kids Kindness Force and download your Kind Deeds Information Pack HERE

And check out this brilliant initiative by The British Red Cross who have teamed up with iconic artist, Anthony Burril, and 10 other inspiring UK artists to create a series of free, limited edition prints available HERE

K is for Kindness