A new decade has begun. And with it, we can’t help but think about what the future will bring. These last twenty years have flown by, chock-full of great advances and wonderful progress. And soon, the leaders of today will retire to those of tomorrow. As time moves forward, it’s up to us to cultivate the soil that will nourish the values and morals of the coming generations, promoting a world that grows in kindness year after year.
Teaching kindness to children and providing opportunities for them to experience its magic is essential. The effects of kindness are contagious and when learned young, these behaviors become habitual. As a result, the likelihood of learned kindness following children into adulthood is much greater.
Stories of kindness are all over if you take the time to look. In lieu of the things that have been on our minds this week specifically, however, one story, in particular, caught our eye.
Michael’s Adoption Story
Michael is a five-year-old boy living in Michigan. He was lucky enough to be fostered by two loving parents for a year, at which point they decided to adopt him. If you know anything about the struggles of a life stuck in the foster system, this in itself is a beautiful story of kindness. But it gets better!
Mrs. McKee’s Idea
Michael’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McKee was aware of Michael’s foster parents’ adoption plans and reached out to them with a plan of her own. Soon, she would be organizing a field trip for the entire kindergarten class in Michael’s honor.
Adoption Day
Upon arrival at the courthouse, Michael was greeted by his teacher and all his classmates who showed up to support him on his big day. Sitting in the audience, they smiled and waved hearts mounted on popsicle sticks. When asked by the judge to share what Michael means to them, they spoke of friendship and love.
Prioritizing Kindness and Support
It’s stories like these that remind us how important kindness and support are and what an impact reaching a hand out to others can have. We are inspired by Mrs. McKee’s enthusiasm and motivation to create an opportunity for her students to participate in such a kind act. If all children were taught kindness like this, imagine how the world could transform!
