It’s Contagious
In some parts of the country children are coming down with chicken pox and measles—childhood diseases which were almost unheard of until recently. These contagious diseases have resurfaced because some parents are choosing not to immunize their children. I am not going to present arguments for one side or the other as this could turn into a heated debate. Rather, I am going to talk about another contagious disease that is affecting today’s children—bullying! Yes, bullying has been around forever (read the Old Testament!) but I believe it’s a societal disease that needs some immunization. This immunization is not in the form of a shot or pill. I wish it were that easy! The antidote to bullying is kindness (read the New Testament!).
Today’s kids have it tough. Children can be down right mean. Maybe it stems from an unhealthy home life or low self-esteem. When a child is bullied, it makes him or her want to bully others. But if bullying is contagious, maybe kindness is contagious too. Did you know that when someone smiles at you, the muscles in your face automatically respond and you smile back without any conscious effort? Acts of kindness can have the same result.
We live in a self-centered, narcissistic society where the media messages tell us to “get what you want,” and “you deserve the best.” I can’t find those messages in Scripture. The messages from Jesus are “be kind to others” and “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Kindness and caring need to be taught and modeled in the home. Here are a few ways you can help your children or grandchildren cultivate kindness:
- Make a get well card for someone who is sick.
- Let you child help you bake cookies and bring them to a neighbor for no reason.
- If the weather is bad, get the mail for an elderly neighbor and bring it to his or her house.
- Help your children write thank you notes to teachers, coaches, and relatives.
- Encourage your child to be friends with someone at school who is new or who needs a friend.
- At the dinner table, have each person say what they like best about the other family members.
- As a family, pray for the specific needs of friends, neighbors, and extended family.
You can teach you kids to be kind—and let’s hope it’s contagious!
Crystal