Our role as parents is to teach our children what truly matters in life. Kindness can be taught, but most importantly there need to be good people in their lives that model the traits that they hope their kids will someday encompass. Kindness matters. 
Kindness Matters
I think as a parent it is hard to see when you, “Get it right,”. We do the best we can each day. Without the help of my husband I would definitely give into those feelings of self-doubt. Doubting my parenting. Doubting my decisions. Letting that cruel comment sink in further than it should. Being a parent is rough-throw in the Internet where everyone knows the RIGHT way to do something and you are bound to fall down flat.
Our goal was to raise our kids the best we could.
Kindness, compassion, and empathy are incredibly important to me as a person. From a very early age we have worked with both of our kids at sharing, understanding why other’s are sad/angry, and what we can do to make them better.
I’ve discussed here that both kids stand up for each other. Emma Marie has put herself in between a would-be attacker and her big brother to save him. Raymond has literally saved Emma Marie from falls, trips, and watches over her wherever we go. They keep each other safe because they love each other. It is important to them. They care about other people’s feelings and try to right wrongs they see done. I’ve seen this time and again.
That doesn’t mean it was easy. That just means that anytime one of them were outright mean(just once-no second chances) that we left wherever we were. I packed us all up to go to the Zoo, drove thirty minutes, unpacked, and we were there for no less than ten minutes when Raymond hurt his sister(and meant to). We left immediately.
That never happened again.
There were those trips to the park on a gorgeous day that just beckoned for us to play outside. If one of the kids threw a tantrum(for any reason), we left. That has happened three times. Three awful times.
Consequences for actions matter. It matters that you are unwavering. It matters that they understand the consequences. Frankly, it may be hard on you to deal with the consequences(I hate packing) but all good things in life come from hard work. Doing the right thing, just isn’t always easy.
I am grateful that I can count on Raymond to be a good role model for Emma Marie. That he will choose to do what’s right. That’s a lot to ask of a three year old. But it’s never too early, especially now that he is in preschool.
Teaching Kindness
Emma Marie LOVES Bears & Puppies. She carries them around and calls them her babies. She sleeps with them, feeds them, and even attempts to put clothes on them. When Snuggle sent us three Snuggle Bears one to keep and two to give she just couldn’t contain her happiness. She squealed with joy and said thank you a dozen times.
As soon as I told her we were going to give the other two away she started gushing over how her cousins would LOVE them. I thought that perhaps she would want to keep all the bears… more is better to many(most) people, but she got all sorts of giggly and put the two girl’s bears up on the counter to wait for when we would see them.
Well this mom’s heart melted to pieces.
Sometimes it takes a gentle reminder that the kids understand. That kindness, rather than another toy matters too.
Emma Marie receiving her Snuggle Bear.
Last Thursday a sweet mom pointed out that Raymond was the only boy in class that let the girl’s play pirates with him. Sometimes it takes hearing it from another parent that maybe you aren’t screwing this whole parenting thing up. That maybe you are getting something right.
If you get a chance, pay a compliment to a fellow parent. You might not know how much it truly means to them.
Snuggle Bear
Check out what Snuggle is doing on National Teddy Bear Day- perhaps more companies can learn from their example and give to those that have nothing to give them in return.
Kindness, always matters.
Snuggle
September 9th is National Teddy Bear Day. In honor of all the joy, companionship and comfort Teddy Bears can bring, this SeptemBEAR we’re donating 5,000 teddy bears to children in need. Help us raise awareness by sharing your own memories, photos or videos with a special Teddy Bear in your life using the hashtag #ShareABear. Learn more and join the movement at Snuggle’s FB Page.
I would love to hear about a parenting win- a moment that made you proud.
Those moments need to be celebrated.
