The Benefits of Kindness For Kids: Taking a Closer Look

Teaching Kindness and Its Benefits

What are the significant benefits of showing kindness? Does kindness impact kids’ well-being? Does it even matter? What makes it beneficial to kids?

Kids can experience tremendous benefits when practicing kindness. Due to kindness being teachable – it calls for the prime behavior to be taught. From an early age, kids can slowly learn how to be kind through their hands-on experience and daily interactions with everyone.

We all know that kindness is rooted in the value of empathy. Being able to extend help or show compassion without expecting anything in return. The act of discerning another person’s feelings and acting on them in a meaningful way for the benefit of others.

In parenting kids, we encourage purposeful loving-kindness in everything that they do and say every day. Likewise, with younger kids, even if they already grasp the concept and importance of kindness, nudging is still required most of the time.

As parents, we want what’s best for our kids and commit to providing the best possible upbringing. Naturally, we look for different ways to help our kids be the best they could be. For the same reason, that kindness is considered the top core value that parents desire for their kids.

But definition aside, what does kindness do to kids?

Teaching kindness to kids can promote a positive impact on their growth and daily interactions. Besides being manifested not only in their personal connections to others but most importantly also kindness makes them healthier. We will focus on the advantages of kindness when observed by kids.

Important to note:

Based upon the kids’ age groups, you can adjust how to explain the gains of kindness. As for the young ones, use simple, relatable words. In-depth explanations for the older kids are favorable.

They’ll be more open to learning and applying it in life after knowing the science of kindness. Adding the lessons on kindness, emphasizing the benefits, will solidify the overall importance of kindness.

Then, let’s find out how kindness benefits your kids.

1. Increases Happiness and Improves Mood

The more kids show kindness, the better they feel. Kindness begets happy feelings. Science shows that kindness does affect a kid’s physical and psychological health.

When kids practice kindness, the brain emits a chemical – the serotonin hormone. This particular hormone enhances the person’s overall wellbeing and happiness. 

As stated in Mayo Clinic Health System, “Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are chemicals in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up.” 

2. Better Health for Kids

Being kind makes kids feel good about themselves and having such positive emotions can lead to balanced health.

Additionally, as kindness is exhibited, another hormone is released in the body called Oxytocin. Oxytocin helps increase feelings of security and safety for kids. When kids feel safe and secure, they develop positive emotions. Thereby aiding in decreasing stress and anxiety among kids and subsequently supporting the mental health of kids.

Kindness also promotes a better immune system and improves heart health in kids.

In general, when people witness an act of kindness, the body releases the same hormone (Oxytocin). This particular hormone releases a chemical called nitric oxide that helps lower blood pressure in people.

3. Builds connections

Kind kids are most likely to experience solid relationships among others. People are drawn to kind persons. New relationships are forged among kind kids.

When it comes to school, kids have a more broad circle due to peers able to relate well with them. Kindness bridges peer acceptance.

According to this study by Layous, K and et al; (2012 December). Kindness Counts. Journal, Plos One. “Students were instructed to perform three acts of kindness versus to visit three places.”

“ Students who performed kind acts experienced significantly bigger increases in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity) than students who visited places. Increasing peer acceptance is a critical goal, as it is related to a variety of important academic and social outcomes for kids, including reduced likelihood of being bullied.”

4. A Confidence Booster

Kids develop a sense of purpose and at the same time boost their self-esteem. 

We often see in kids when they know they can affect other people in a good way, kids do more of the same behavior. Kids feel good knowing they’re able to help someone who is down or in need.

Seeing that confidence in them makes any parent feel honored. Kids are more likely to succeed better in all aspects of their lives.

5. Decreases negative feelings – as a vital benefit of kindness

Kids can be stressed out at school or at home. Practicing kindness helps them regulate feelings of helplessness or depression. 

After acts of kindness are shown, kids can experience a sense of gratitude towards themselves. They see the impact of their actions, and it helps them identify self-worth. 

As kids start to practice mindfulness, kind acts through caring for themselves can lead to a calmer and happier life.

6. Improves Thinking Ability 

The brain works well to function daily. But when bombarded by the stress hormone (Cortisol) – nothing good can come out of it. Kids will have difficulty concentrating in school and will have a more negative outlook.

The ability to concentrate and focus on tasks can get overwhelming to a kid. The brain will require more energy to do its job.

Moreover, as kids perform acts of kindness, they feel energized and motivated. We look to the advantage of kindness to boost energy as a favorable effect on brain function. It allows kids to perform well in school by gaining more focus, improving attention span, and promoting creative thinking.

7. The Influence of Kindness

We all can agree that kindness to others is contagious. When kids purposefully practice kindness in their lives, they will see the rippling effect around them. The act itself can move people.

Additionally, when kids witness an act of kindness, it has a unique effect of influencing their own behavior towards being kind to others.

Therefore, more kindness is spread among the people close to him, his peers, and the entire community. 

The Benefits of Showing Kindness

Knowing these benefits of kindness in kids, you’ll be able to recognize that what you’re teaching does matter. You can rest assured that kindness fosters wellness.

The overall health benefits are high enough to be regarded as a priority for the well-being and happiness of your kid.

Plus, the idea of paying it forward as kindness is given; the whole community can benefit from any acts of kindness today and in the future.

The way our world is right now, we can all channel kindness in any way and for our kids to inherit the value of kindness through continued practice.

Key Takeaways:

♥ Increases Happiness and Improves Mood

♦ Better Overall Health

♥ Decreases Negative Feelings

♦ Builds Connections and Fosters Influence

For more reading on Kindness: 10 Basic Ways To Teach Kindness To Your Child

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