August 28, 2021

Quote of the Week

"Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle." --Charles Glassman

Should Pediatricians Prescribe Kindness?

When parents take their children to a pediatrician for a wellness check, they expect to get reports on their children’s healthy development—if they’re growing properly, eating and sleeping well, or in need of vaccines.  They probably don’t expect to get a prescription for kindness.  But at Senders Pediatrics, a private practice in Cleveland, Ohio [...] this is exactly what parents are getting.  

While the program is in its infancy, it’s a model that is popular with parents and kids, and has helped the staff at Senders Pediatrics—particularly during this difficult time of COVID. Shelly Senders, the clinic’s founding pediatrician, hopes their focus on kindness and developing the “whole child” is a model that can be replicated more widely.
“My goal in all of this is to get the American Academy of Pediatrics to endorse the concept of teaching kindness in every pediatric practice,” he says.  Read more about this innovative program in this week's featured article from Greater Good magazine.

Reading Corner

Title: Kindness Counts
By: Bryan Smith
Recommended Ages: 4-8

"When Cade and his family find out their ice cream order was paid for by another patron, they continue paying it forward, and so starts the discussion of random acts of kindness Cade takes this idea and runs with it, showing unexpected kindnesses to others. But when Cade's dad would like him to donate some of his own toys, he has a hard time. Will Cade be able to learn the importance of being kind to others, even when it isn't easy? Find out in this tale about showing kindness. This storybook is part of the Without Limits series written for kids in grades K-5. Tips for parents, counselors, and educators are included. Use this book to teach children how they can participate in random acts of kindness" --Publishers

Be the Change

Check out these great kindness project ideas for middle/high schoolers here and share them with a teen in your life.