Summer is wrapping up, and LifeSmart Youth Health Educators have been busy teaching all about kindness, acceptance, and healthy relationships at local Indianapolis summer camps. With a new school year starting, it’s a good idea to start thinking about how adults can encourage youth to practice kindness in the classroom.
- The Golden Rule – Treat others the way you want to be treated. The Golden Rule is a great way to start a conversation about treating others with respect.
- Diversity – Teaching youth about what diversity is can help build empathy towards others that are different from them.
- Being an Upstander – Encourage youth to speak up when they see bullying happening. There are many ways they can be an upstander, including telling an adult, telling the bully to stop, getting the target away, talking to the target privately, and including everyone.
Kindness and empathy are skills that need to be practiced and are things we have to CHOOSE to do—they don’t always come easily. Reminding young people about the Golden Rule, diversity, and being an upstander are great ways to kick off with kindness this school year.
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