Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening

March 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on unique ways on teaching children kindness. Teaching children kindness is a character trait that every parent will need to nurture in their children. Furthermore, there are many ways to instill and discuss kindness.  However, today we’re going to focus on teaching children kindness through gardening. 

So, gardening is a unique concept, but there are many lessons to be learned through gardening. It has additional benefits including exposing your child to nature, leaning self-sufficiency by growing your own food, and enjoying nature’s beauty by growing beautiful flowers.  Flowers are also beneficial to growing fruit, vegetables and flowers.      

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

Teaching Children Kindness: 

 

Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening Videos

 

Videos:  If You Plant a Seed
              Wanda’s Roses

 

Snacks:

Vegetable Dip and Veggies
Peanut Butter Celery

 

 

Kindness Coloring Pages and Activities

 

Worksheets: 

If You Plant a Seed
Wanda’s Roses
Vegetable Coloring Pages
Kindness Coloring Pages

 

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

Children’s Kindness Activities: 

Bake Zucchinni bread for our troops
Make cards with flowers for a local nursing home
Visit a Community Garden
Make a flower pot gift for grandma or a neighbor
Grow a pot of carrots or strawberries 

 

First, lets start with the book If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson.  This book is an excellent way to teach young children about kindness and sharing.  Additionally, the book is appropriate for preschoolers to 3rd grade, and is read by Story Time With Michele Lepe. Set aside approximately 10 minutes to watch the video. 

Next, prepare a vegetable snack of carrots, cucumbers and dip or celery and peanut butter pieces for the kids.  Discuss the book with them to ensure they understand what took place.

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

 

Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening

 

Additionally, here’s a few questions that you can ask from the stories.  I’ve created a worksheet on the stories for the older kids to answer questions.  Interacting verbally with the younger kids will suffice: 

 

  • What vegetables did the rabbit and mouse plant? Tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage? 
  • Who showed up to enjoy the treats the rabbit and mouse planted?  Birds.
  • So, what happened when the rabbit and the mouse refused to share with the birds.  They fought and ruined all the vegetables. (Seeds of selfishness were planted).
  • When the rabbit and mouse shared their treats, what happened? Seeds of kindness were planted. The birds were thankful for the food.  So, they helped plant more vegetables and they had a bigger garden and harvest for everyone.
  • What was the sweetest fruit? The fruit of kindness.
  • Finally, the bigger garden was filled with what vegetables and flowers? (Garden of Kindness)?  Corn, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and sunflowers.  

 

Additionally, while you’re having your snacks discuss the fact that the vegetables they are eating were grown in a garden just like the tomatoes, carrots and cabbage, corn and sunflowers in the story. 

Have the kids complete the Fruit of Kindness Garden Assignment. What would they would plant in their Fruit of Kindness Garden.  

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

 

 

Kindness Books for Children:

 

In addition to If you Plant a Seed,  Wanda’s Roses by Pat Brisson teaches kindness too. The story is read by Story Time with Ms. Loewen.  It is appropriate for ages 5 – 8. Here are a few questions to ask the kids after listening to the story:  

 

  • Where did Wanda find the rosebush?  In an empty lot. 
  • Why did Wanda think it was a rosebush?  The thorns. 
  • What did Wanda do to give the rosebush more sun and air?  She started to clean up the lot by removing the trash. 
  • How did all of the neighbors help Wanda with the lot? They all helped to clean it up.   
  • Sadly, the rosebush did not bloom. What did Wanda do when her bush did not bloom? She made roses from paper and invited the neighbors to have a tea party.
  • What did the neighbors bring to the tea party? Rosebushes. 
  • What did Ms. Jones bring to the party? Muffins
  • Ask the students to talk about a kind act they did for a friend, neighbor or family member or one that a friend, neighbor or family member did for them.    

 

So, teaching kindness should start early and done in a manner that kids can understand and relate.  The best way is to lead by example.  Download the Kindness Activities for kids.   

 

 

Filed Under: Character Building, Suggested Reading List Tagged With: , , ,

4 Ways to Teach Your Children To Be Grateful

January 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Being grateful is something that you learn as you grow.  So, teach your children to be grateful at an early age.  It’s a trait that’s heavily influenced as a child.  It can be very easy for a child to become spoiled.  And, that’s not something that they could carry into to adulthood.

 

 

Be Grateful

 

 

Here’s a few tips on teaching your children to be grateful:

 

Teach Them Manners

Manners are something that gets taught from a young age.  Unfortunately, those who don’t have manners in their adulthood can be met with some hostility. Saying please and thank you are two phrases that don’t take much effort.  So, when they have the opportunity to use their manner you should encourage them.  Do it every time they receive a gift, like one from BeadifulBABY.  Or  when someone does something that helps them in life. Being appreciative of others is a part of being grateful.  Furthermore, it’s one thing that they’ll need in order to thrive in life.  If manners aren’t given, they shouldn’t expect to receive them back.

 

Expose Them More To Reality

The reality of life is one that, as parents, we tend to shield them from. As they’re growing up, everything they see on television, and you do with them is likely to be a positive one. However, as they grow, it’s important to expose them slowly to the realities of the world. Teaching them that their life is likely to be richer than others because there’s always someone who’s suffering more than yourself. It’s a good lesson for them to learn so that they’re more appreciative of what they have and hopefully further down the line, they’ll want to give back to those who are less fortunate.

 

 

teaching manners

 

Make Them Earn It

Being grateful for what you have can come from earning it.  Doing household chores or getting a job when they reach a certain age, is a great way to show them how money is earned.  Things are rarely given to you for free.  And, it’s important to show them this lesson by having them earn pocket money.

 

Get Them To Name Their Blessings Daily

The blessings we have in life are those that we’re thankful for.  Sometimes we forget how lucky we are and just how good we have it.  It’s important to make them aware of their blessings.  One way to do this is to get them to name their blessings daily. Writing it down or sharing at the dinner table are great family activities.  These little recognitions in life are going to really help them understand what they have and what they should be grateful for.

 

Teaching your children to be grateful is a really effective quality for them to have, and as they grow, it will reflect positively in their adult life too.

 

Filed Under: Character Building Tagged With: , ,

Tips on Building Your Son’s Character

December 19, 2019 by 2 Comments

Today, I’m sharing parenting advice on building your son’s character.   Are you striving to raise good, decent human beings? Community service and leadership helps build a child’s character.  Both have the ability to help shape your child’s development and outlook on life.  As parents, building values, integrity, honesty, faith and more is a huge responsibility.   Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone.

 

 

building your child's character

 

 

My grandson plays in the Virginia Beach Pop Warner football program.  Nothing Is Given Everything is Earned is their motto.  What a lesson to teach our sons and daughters.   It prepares them to be productive human beings and work for what they want in life.

Furthermore, they involve their players in Promise Keepers.  The purpose of Promise Keepers is to help men learn respect, purpose, and influence in their homes and communities. Many lack role models on how to achieve these goals.  So, Promise Keepers helps rise up men with integrity and to identify with Christ.  This includes young men who never attend church.  Furthermore, they teach men to be humble, honor women and children, and follow God at all costs.

Bill McCartney founded Promise Keepers in 1990.  The program has touched the life of 7 million boys and men.  They believe in building a strong foundation that will keep young boys on the right path no matter where their future takes them.

 

 7 Promises in Building Your Son’s  Character: 

 

Honor  – A Promise Keeper is committed to honoring Jesus Christ through worship, prayer and obedience to God’s Word.  Teach your son to give glory and all honor to God in everything he does.  It will be a blessing to watch him pray, attend church and obey his parents, grandparents and other leaders.  My grandson was leading us in prayer and blessing the food when he was five.

 

Brotherhood – A Promise Keeper is committed to pursuing relationships with other men.  They must strive to understand that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.  So, being a team player is important.  It’s imperative that you teach your son that it’s okay to reach out to others. Teach your son that he doesn’t have to go through life alone or deal with his problems alone.  Being a part of a group helps young men feel like they belong and it helps build a strong foundation for them to stand on.

 

 

building your son's character

 

 

Virtue – A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity.  It’s so important that teens/children have someone to turn to.  Especially, when they reach puberty.  Peer pressure can be difficult for kids.  Socializing with other who have the same values can help during difficult times.  Especially, when difficult decisions have to be made.  Furthermore, teens need to understand that not having sex and not following the crowd is cool. 

 

Commitment – A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection and biblical values.  Many young men come from single parent homes.  As a result, parents come together and open their homes to other team members.  Young boys get an opportunity to see homes that are different from theirs or the same.  It’s important for young men to learn to love who they are and where they come from.

 

Change Making – A Promise Keeper understands that Jesus calls him to be His hands and feet, serving others with integrity. He purposely lifts up the leadership of the church and his nation in prayer.  Teaching your son to give Jesus the glory in that he does will build confidence.  He will learn to rely on someone greater than him, and he will carry it into all aspects of his life.

 

 

 

building your son's character

 

 

 

Unity – A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.  Expose your child to other children who don’t look like them or who don’t worship like them is imperative.  So, it’s important that children understand diversity.  Involving them in programs and being around other who are different from them helps them understand diversity better.

 

Obedience – A Promise Keeper is committed to influencing his world, being obedient to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.  Teaching children to be obedient to their parents, teachers, and elders is important.  With this comes manners and respect.

 

Finally, your child doesn’t have to play organized sports or go to church every Sunday to implement these teachings into his life.  You can use these stepping stones in building your child’s character on a solid foundation.  Good character builds a good personality, and it is the basis for personal growth.  It is the core of a person’s characteristics, and character building should start at an early age.

Filed Under: Character Building Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Teaching Children to be Assertive

March 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Parenting is a monumental  job.   It requires teaching our children to be assertive, how to deal with their emotions, and dealing with positive and negative feelings.  Even when they don’t know what they’re feeling or why.  This parenting skill requires communication skills, empathy, and understanding.  Remember your childhood and teen years.  Today, we’re giving you a few parenting tips on teaching children to be assertive.    

 

 

parenting tips

 

Teaching your kids to be assertive

Children are not the best at articulating their thoughts and feelings.  Furthermore, they lack the experience in articulating many aspects of their human experience.  The responsibility of teaching children to be articulate, honest and respectful is a major responsibility.  While we want our children to express themselves, and ask questions like an HST lawyer,  they don’t always have the skills.

We must remember, teaching children to be assertive is vital to them being able to create boundaries.  Furthermore, it helps them improve their self-esteem and confidence.  As adults, we have seen the issues that come with not being assertive.  It can range from saying yes to things we don’t want to do to being burned out because we can’t say no. To avoid creating a similar future for your child, teach them assertiveness early.  They will know to stand up for themselves in an amicable manner and thus develop stronger relationships.

 

Helping children navigate their emotions

The initial stages of teaching a child to be assertive can be difficult.  Children will follow your example.  If you have issues with assertiveness, now would be an excellent time to practice what you will be preaching.  For example, if you always clean up after dinner  make it clear that others must help.  You will likely be emotionally charged, but remember to remain calm as your children will be watching and listening.

As you master assertiveness in your life, encourage your children to do the same.  Temperament plays a role in how your child conveys their message. Those with stronger personalities can come across as aggressive.  If so, gently point it out to your child how others may perceive them.  Remind them that the point of getting their message across is to create understanding.   It is not to offend others. It is vital that they learn to respect others even while disagreeing.

Your child might initially have a hard time because they are still learning about their emotions and how to communicate them. Be patient and ask them to extend the same for themselves.  Teaching assertiveness creates an opportunity to have conversations about the importance of self-awareness and boundaries.   Additionally, you can discuss what they can do when someone is unkind or dismissive after they assert themselves.  Equally, praise them for the times they are confident and encourage them to express their feelings too.

 

Remaining positive through the teaching process

No parent gets everything right, so remember that it takes practice. When you feel the message is not getting home take a different tactic.  Most importantly, remember there are factors we have to contend with that are out of our control, including their social circles.  Be diligent, and do your best.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Character Building, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , , ,

45 Chore Ideas For Kids of All Ages

September 1, 2017 by 10 Comments

chore ideas for kids

 

Getting kids to do chores can be a challenge.  Mostly because kids find them boring or there’s no incentive to do them.  Children need to understand that as a family unit, they need to contribute to the functioning of the household.  They also need to learn responsibility and accountability.  Chores are a great way for children to learn both and to contribute to the family home.  In addition to learning responsibility and accountability, earning an allowance for doing chores is a great way for them to learn money management.

Additionally, we have chore ideas for kids of various ages.  We suggest that you choose several of our chore ideas for kids that you think are age appropriate for your children.  Here’s our list:

  1. Take out the trash
  2. Manage recyclable items
  3. Sweep the floors
  4. Mow the grass
  5. Water the garden or flowers
  6. Walk the dog
  7. Feed the dog
  8. Bath the dog
  9. Load and unload the dishwater
  10. Pick up toys/Clean snack area
  11. Place crayons, books, and other items in designated area
  12. Place clothes in hamper
  13. Do family laundry
  14. Fold clothes in place in drawers
  15. Wash dishes in the sink
  16. Clean the bathtub and toilet
  17. Retrieve mail or newspaper
  18. Empty bedroom and bathroom trash cans
  19. Set the dinner table
  20. Clear the dinner table
  21. Vacuum floors
  22. Wash and vacuum the car
  23. Make snacks for siblings
  24. Pack school lunch for siblings
  25. Assist siblings with homework
  26. Babysit siblings when needed
  27. Drop off and pickup siblings from their activities
  28. Read siblings a bedtime story
  29. Take younger siblings to the park
  30. Rake leaves
  31. Bag leaves
  32. Wash windows
  33. Mop floors
  34. Clean garage
  35. Paint yard furniture, picnic table or fence
  36. Gather and stack firewood
  37. Sweep porch or sidewalk
  38. Run errands
  39. Trim shrubbery
  40. Weed garden/shrubbery beds
  41. Organize and maintain kitchen cabinets/pantry
  42. Take family’s folded laundry to bedrooms
  43. Make bed
  44. Strip bed for laundry day
  45. Iron clothing

Reward your children with an allowance and lots of praise.  You can keep track of their progress with one of our 6 free chore charts below.  Download your child’s favorite chore chart here.

You an find the 45 Chore Ideas for Kids broken down my age here.  Of course, some children are more mature than others so you can delegate the chores in your home as appropriate.  Feel free to print it and share with other moms.  We hope that you found our chore ideas beneficial.

 

 

Filed Under: Character Building, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , ,

6 Tips on Character Building for Children

July 9, 2016 by 6 Comments

Today, I’m sharing parenting advice on character building for children. First, children aren’t born with good character and it isn’t hereditary.  Helping to develop your children’s character is essential.  A person’s character is the essence of who they are.  As a result, children must learn that their character will surface in all areas of their life. As a result, parents should teach character by example. 

 

 

character building for children

 

 

Character Building for Children:

 

Be Trustworthy – Teaching children to be honest is a must. Being honest is an important character trait.  Next, being trustworthy helps to build a good reputation, which is important in life.  Stealing, deceiving, cheating or being unreliable are big elements toward becoming untrustworthy.

Be Fair – Teaching children that they must play by the rules is another important character trait.  Their are rules/laws for going to school, driving, and swimming on beaches and in pools. They must be followed; otherwise, there will be consequences.  Additionally, children must also learn to not take advantage of a situation or another person.  It is not right to do so.

Be Responsible – Teach your children the importance of honoring their word.  If they say they’re going to do something they must live up to it.  Teach children to think before they act.  Also, self-control is imperative to good character and they must strive to be an example to others.

Be Caring – Displaying kindness toward other is a big part of developing character. Children should help others  and be forgiving when others upset or hurt them. Because the world is unfair at times, we must forgive and move forward.

Be a Good Person – Most importantly, children should learn that obeying the law is essential.  Get your child involved in community service and doing volunteer work. You may like the post Why You Should Teach Your Children To Volunteer.

 

Furthermore, teaching your children good manners is every parent’s responsibility.  It seems that children today are rude and disrespectful.  Saying thank you, please or excuse me seems to be a thing of the past.  Why do they interrupt their elders or not hold doors for people entering or exiting a store or building?  Manners are a part of daily life, however, it seems to not be important today.

Finally, helping to develop your child’s character must start at an early age.   So, I hope my character building for kids tip inspire you.  Many traits make up a person’s character.  Raise children to be good people.  However, they are not expected to be perfect.  Strive to lead by example. Loving unconditionally should be something parents do every day.  Telling them that you love them unconditionally is just as important. Most importantly, kids will remember the conversations and examples they were shown during their character development.

Filed Under: Character Building, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , ,