Photo Credit: Merry John, work at Maya Flower store, Lucknow.

Cute and kind kids are becoming a one-of-its-own-kind and rare phenomena. Information overload and everything-on-the-internet era has already sabotaged the innocence of our kids. Though while we are trying our best to retain values in the next generation, we can as much as try to instil kindness in them too. 'Coz this will stay with them forever.

Be a Better Example.

Kids look up to parents as an example. Their dad is a superhero. Their mama is the best ever mother in the world. So, give them something beautiful and extraordinary to follow. Be emphatic towards your domestic help, elders and people, in general. If you want your kid to be considerate towards the cook, you need to say 'please' more often. Remember, charity begins at home and this start with you! Even a random act of kindness such as giving your seat to a senior citizen will have an everlasting impression on your kid. Be kinder to your staff and in case if you have to agonize over a situation, make sure that your kids aren't around and not listening to the conversation. So, before you teach your kids the act of kindness, you have to watch out for your behaviour. Yep, a learning in there for you too!

Give them a Hobby.

Something to look forward to! Something they will care so deeply about and show concern about its well-being. Once they are interested in it, they will take their first step towards the kindness, which is empathy. It could be anything from planting flower beds to volunteering at a centre. Though, you must ensure that you don't pressurize them to take up a hobby. Let them develop interest naturally and nurture it.

Ask them to Be Nice to Someone Every Day.

Induce the learning, day by day. You can tell them to record at least one act of kindness every day. You teach kids to be kind with everybody, to the very nature in general and to everybody who could use some help. Reward them when they accomplish it. Before you'll know, this concern for the greater good and compassion will be instilled deep in them.

Sharing is Fun!

Teach them to share as it is yet another form of showing that 'you care.' Be it their lunchbox, chocolate or soft toys they received as a gift, encourage them to have a blast with their friends and cousins to promote the feeling of sharing.

Being kind is very different from becoming emotional fools. It is not that they don't get to have fun as they grow up. Kindness is more about showing concern and feeling what other might be going through. It is like walking a mile in somebody else's shoes before acting up on the instincts. Whatever we see in the news such as fatal school shootings, nasty teen pranks going horribly wrong, bullying or ragging at school that becomes deadly for other kids, it is mainly because that somewhere we messed up and forgot to teach our kids to be kind.