How I’m Trying To Raise A Kind Human

As parents, we spend so much time worrying about milestones. Are they talking enough? Are they learning enough? Eating enough vegetables? But lately I’ve found myself focus on something different.

More than anything, I want to raise a kind human.

Not the smartest person in the room, not the most talented. Not the one who wins every award. I want my daughter to grow up, knowing how to be kind – to herself and to others.

Ofcourse kindness isn’t something we can simply teach through one conversation. It’s something children learn but watching us everyday.

And that’s both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

Because it means that when I’m impatient she notices. When I show compassion she notices that too. When I apologise after making a mistake, she learns that being kind doesn’t mean we have to be perfect. It just means taking responsibility and trying again.

Teaching Kindness Through Everyday Moments

I’ve realised that kindness is often found in the smallest moments.

It’s saying thank you to the cashier.

Holding a door open for someone.

Checking on a friend when they seem sad.

Sharing a toy when it’s difficult.

Helping someone without expecting anything in return.

These moments might seem insignificant but they add up. They become habits. They become character.

So I try to point them out when they happen.

“That was kind of you.”

“Did you see how happy that made them?”

“How do you think they felt when you helped them?”

Not because I want praise to be motivation, but because I want kindness to become something she notices and values.

Teaching Empathy

One thing I’m working on is helping my daughter understand how other people feel.

When she’s upset, I try not to rush past her emotions. Instead, we talk about them.

And when someone else is upset, we talk about that too.

“How do you think they’re feeling?”

“What could we do to help?”

Empathy doesn’t come naturally to every child. It’s a skill that grows with practice.

The more we help children understand their own feelings, the better they become at understanding the feelings of others.

Letting Her See Me Make Mistakes

I used to think good parenting meant always getting it right.

Now I think good parenting means showing your children what to do when you get it wrong.

I lose my patience sometimes.

I get overwhelmed.

I make mistakes.

When that happens, I try to apologise.

Not because I’m failing as a parent, but because teaching an important lesson: kindness includes owning our mistakes and repairing relationships

Kindness Starts at Home

Sometimes we focus so much on teaching children to be kind to others that we forget to teach them to be kind to themselves.

I want my daughter to know her worth isn’t based on being perfect.

I want her to know it’s okay to make mistakes.

It’s okay to have hard days.

It’s okay to need help.

The way we speak to our children often becomes the way they speak to themselves.

That’s something I think about often.

We are responsible for the humans we raise and they learn from their home.

The Kind of Person I Hope She Becomes

I don’t know exactly who my daughter will become.

I don’t know what career she’ll choose, or where life will take her.

But I hope she’s the person who includes the lonely child.

The person who stands up for what is right.

The person who treats everybody with respect, even if it feels a little difficult.

The person that remembers everyone is carrying something we can’t see.

If I can help her become that kind of person, than atleast I think I’ve done something right.

Because the world doesn’t just need successful people.

It needs more kind humans.

And that’s exactly who I’m trying to raise.

Books that Teach Kindness

A fun way to be able to teach kindness with your little ones is through books. Stories give children to chance to see the world through someone else’s eyes and spark conversations about empathy, friendship and helping others.

Some wonderful books about kindness for young children:

⚪️Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

A wonderful book that teaches how small acts of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s day.

👉 Get it on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/43WPyzX

⚪️ Kindness Makes Us Strong

A colorful inclusive book that celebrates everyday acts of kindness.

👉 Get it on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/4vIqAji

⚪️ The Rabbit Listened

A beautiful story about empathy, listening, and supporting others through difficult feelings.

👉 Get it on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/4vomNrC

⚪️ Be Kind

A thoughtful story that explores what kindness looks like in real life

👉 Get it on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/4edBwja

⚪️ A Little Spot Of Kindness

An engaging book that helps young children understand kind behavior in a practical way

👉 Get it on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/4a4eAjY

We read books for entertainment, but they can also help shape values we want our children to carry with them as they grow. Sometimes a simple story can start a meaningful conversation that stays with them for years.

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Keep The Conversation Going

Is there any books you like to read with your little ones? I’d love to hear from you.

Comment below 👇