Preparing for the back-to-school season is about more than just new clothes and supplies. It's an opportunity to instill important values like kindness and empathy in your children. By engaging in kindness activities, fostering meaningful conversations, and introducing books and quotes that promote kindness, you can help your child develop a positive and compassionate mindset.
Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary!
Kindness is a powerful force that makes a lasting impact on individuals and communities alike. For the past two decades, Doing Good Together has been dedicated to promoting a culture of kindness and empathy throughout the United States. As we enter our 20th year of service, we are thrilled to share with you some exciting opportunities to join us in our mission of spreading kindness.
Renewing Kindness This September
Back to School Kindness is Around the Corner
As the summer comes to a close and children prepare to go back to school, it's a great time to focus on spreading kindness. One way to do this is to have your child make a list of kind acts that they can do for their classmates, such as offering to carry someone's backpack or helping someone who is having trouble with a math problem.
Music Brings Joy and Kindness to the World
A Year in Review
As we say goodbye to 2022 and embark on a new year, it’s important to remember the things that are most important in life: our family, health, and our community. One small way we can make a big impact is to commit to spreading kindness each and every day. This month, I want to spotlight DGT’s best creations of 2022 in case you missed them, want to revisit them, or want to share them with others. (Yes, please do so!) Be sure to subscribe to our blog, newsletter, and/or volunteer listings so you can easily find all the good we create in 2023!
Celebrate Family This Holiday Season
The holiday season is a time to come together and celebrate the things that matter most. Family, friends, and loved ones can all play a role in making this time of year special. However, the holiday season can also be a time of stress and anxiety. With so much to do and so little time, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. This year, take a step back and focus on what’s truly important. Embrace kindness and show others gratitude. Give yourself and those around you the gift of your time and attention. These small acts of kindness will help alleviate your stress and will also go a long way in making this holiday season one to remember.
Weave Gratitude Into Your Life
As the leaves begin to fall and the days grow shorter, it can be easy to forget all the things for which we are grateful. However, studies have shown that practicing gratitude can improve our mental and physical health. This November, let's take some time to focus on all the good in our lives. Gratitude is the act of being thankful for the good things in your life. When you focus on the good, you’ll find that your life is filled with more wonder and abundance than you ever realized. Practicing gratitude is one of the best ways to cultivate happiness and make the most of every day.
The Power of Kindness to Counteract Bullying
It's no secret that bullying is a problem in schools. All too often children are teased, excluded, or made to feel inferior because of their appearance, intelligence, or interests. But there is hope. Kindness has the power to change the culture of a school and create an environment where everyone is respected and valued.
Boost Academics, Mental Health, and Connection Through Volunteering
Focusing on academics and achievement gaps are priorities that must be front and center. That is why it is imperative to remind ourselves that academics work best when coupled with volunteering. Research shows that volunteering boosts academic achievement. Volunteers tend to perform better in school and have stronger social skills. Additionally, giving back feels good and helps boost mental health by promoting connection with others. Volunteering is simply a win-win-win.
Challenging Conversations in Difficult Times
The news is filled with stories of families fleeing Ukraine, and your children may be asking challenging questions about these heartbreaking situations. As a parent, I want to protect my children from great sadness and information they may not be ready for, but I also want them to learn empathy, kindness, generosity, and compassion for those in need.. Children who learn they can make a difference become adults who change the world for the better.
Parting Words: Lessons I’ve Learned about Kindness and Kids
I am deeply grateful to all of you for understanding the profound impact that raising thoughtful, compassionate, engaged children has for their well-being – and that of our families and communities. Under MiaLisa’s leadership, we will continue to add tools and resources to make this practice integral to your lives.
Inviting Kindness and Joy to Dinner
Celebrate Summer with Guerilla Kindness!
Celebrate this almost-back-to-normal summer by savoring our togetherness and bringing a little joy to others. Choose one of the simple projects below to have some creative fun, while contributing to a community culture of encouragement and compassion. You never know how far these simple ripples of kindness will travel.
Put Your Child in Someone Else’s Shoes
Sliding into someone else’s shoes helps us understand another person’s motives and emotions. And it’s a critical skill: research suggests that those with this ability are better at making friends and forming social relationships. Not surprisingly, perspective-taking also makes us more inclined to help and to act with compassion. Fortunately, this is a skill that can be taught.
The Magic of Music
Music can be magic: it can make us healthier and happier, reduce stress, and connect people across cultures. At home, music can not only calm and soothe children, it can also improve memory, increase academic skills, and encourage creativity. Plus, there’s evidence that regularly playing music together can increase empathy. Here’s how to use music to bring more joy, compassion, and hope into your family’s life and the lives of others.
Practicing Kindness: An Age-by-Age Guide
In Praise of Boredom
At this point in the pandemic, boredom is inevitable. But researchers insist that occasional boredom is an opportunity we should embrace because it comes with important benefits: It sparks creativity, nurtures imagination and problem solving, and opens up much-needed opportunities for quiet and reflection.
Why Stories Matter and How to Use Them to Make a Difference
Stories are powerful – and innately human. They help us understand one another, provide windows into different cultures and time periods, and increase our capacity for empathy. Because they hold great power, the stories kids hear make a difference in how they perceive the world. Here are some ways to amplify the power of storytelling within your family.
Doing Good Together: Our Best of 2020
Despite some badly needed hope and light on the horizon, the country still faces myriad challenges. For this reason, our work continues to be critical, since we know (more clearly than ever) that it’s compassion, justice, and community that bring us together — and bring about change. We hope you picked up lots of fun, engaging opportunities for kindness and giving this past year. In case you missed them, we list some favorite resources below.