
Our first step was learning to respond rather than react to our children and modeling that to them.
Our second step is pointing out examples we see in daily life of people choosing to treat other people with kindness. This is not about the fancy big stuff. It's about the person who holds a door for a large group or picks up something that someone else drops or lets someone with a couple items in front of them in the grocery store line.
These moments are super teachable and so simple once we start to tune into them. A little comment or conversation might go something like this: "Did you see that person return the gloves that man dropped? How did it make you feel when you saw this happen? Wasn't that a kind thing to do? I bet that person will feel good today knowing they treat other people with kindness. Can you think of something kind you have done that makes you feel really good?"
These conversations can happen in a classroom or with your child in the car. They are important!