Hudson Valley Parent

24 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2020 someone's day around." In the case of Karen Teig-Morris of Walden, teaching kindness to her six and three-year-old daughters is an essential part of daily life in her home due to her need to help facilitate the development of her older daughter's social skills. Her daughter has high-functioning au- tism. "My daughter sometimes has a tough time seeing beyond herself," said Teig-Morris, "so we work extra hard to remind her about how her actions affect others and how she makes others feel." Teaching empathy and kindness to children "Never be so busy as not to think of others." -Mother Teresa (Continued on Page 26) By JILL VALENTINO T h ree things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind, and the third is to be kind." -Henry James Kindness can be defined as "the quality of being friendly, gener- ous, and considerate." Tell that to a young child, however, and more than likely, you'll get a blank stare in return. Children, elementa- ry-school-aged and younger, typi- cally do not grasp abstract concepts like that of 'kindness,' until it's pre- sented to them more concretely and tangibly. Instead of asking a young child, "what is kindness?" a better way to phrase such a question could be: What does kindness look like? "If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up." -Booker T. Washington Many Hudson Valley parents choose to define kindness by what it looks like rather than its abstract definition. By doing this, they give their children models that they can look to and emulate each day. Victoria Valencia of Wallkill has two adult children and two younger kids, aged six and three-and-a-half. She defines kindness as being nice, having good manners, and helping others. "It's how you treat people," she said. Defining kindness using child-friendly language, as Valencia does, is essential to helping young kids develop a broader understand- What is kindness? Patience and kindness are always appreciated, but with many families spending more time together in close quarters, they're essential ing of what compassion is. Many parents won't hesitate to tell a young child to be nice, but upon further reflection, perhaps parents should ask themselves if their child knows what that means. Why do kindness and empathy matter? "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle." -Plato Jillian Eisloeffel of Pine Bush has two teenage stepchildren and two younger kids, aged six and five. She combines lessons on kindness with lessons on empathy, which is a tough, yet vital concept for young children to comprehend. "Kindness matters because everyone has their struggles," said Eisloeffel. "Some- thing as simple as a smile can turn " Karen Teig-Morris (far left) of Walden, believes teaching kindness to her six and three-year- old daughters is an essential part of daily life.

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