A raccoon finds their way into your family’s outside garbage can. What would the raccoon have to say about its contents?
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[Podcast #217] Raising Kind Humans with Katie Doughty
In the journey of nurturing the next generation, the importance of instilling kindness and empathy in children cannot be overstated. The concept of teaching kindness extends far beyond mere politeness; it’s about shaping compassionate, empathetic individuals who can positively impact their communities.
Katie Doughty, a passionate advocate for childhood empathy and the founder of Team Kind Humans, has been instrumental in highlighting the importance of this mission along with her podcast, Raising Kind Humans. Katie joins us today on the Brave Writer podcast.
Show Notes
Community Service: A Pathway to Empathy
Introducing children to community service at an early age is a powerful method to cultivate empathy. Through her work with Team Kind Humans, Katie demonstrates how involvement in projects that address real-world issues can cultivate empathy in children. By involving them in projects that address real-world issues, like aiding the homeless or supporting health causes, children learn to apply their creativity and compassion to solve problems. Such experiences broaden their understanding of the world and their role in it.
The Role of Parents in Modeling Kindness
As primary influencers, parents have a profound impact on their children’s development of kindness. By actively participating in community service and demonstrating generosity, parents not only bond with their children but also exemplify the values of empathy and compassion. These shared experiences are invaluable in instilling a lifelong commitment to helping others.
Literature and Play in Developing Empathy
Children’s literature is a rich resource for teaching empathy. Stories allow children to explore different perspectives and emotions, fostering an understanding of diverse experiences. Similarly, pretend play and role-playing are crucial in developing empathy, especially among young children, helping them grasp the nuances of human emotions and relationships.
Active Learning: A Holistic Approach
Active learning methods, such as integrating movement with educational activities, play a significant role in child development. Programs that combine physical activity with character development and creative expression offer a well-rounded approach to learning. These methods encourage not just intellectual growth but also social and emotional development.
Empathy Building through Family Activities
Engaging in family activities centered around kindness and community service strengthens familial bonds and reinforces the values of empathy and compassion. Such activities, whether simple acts of kindness within the community or discussions about empathetic behavior, should be accessible and enjoyable for children, fostering a natural inclination towards helping others.
Cultivating kindness and empathy in children is a critical aspect of their overall development. It equips them with the emotional intelligence to navigate complex social environments and fosters a sense of responsibility towards their communities. By embracing practices that encourage empathy, such as community service, parental modeling, storytelling, and active learning, we lay the groundwork for a more compassionate and empathetic society. This commitment to nurturing kindness in children not only enriches their lives but also has the potential to create a ripple effect, contributing to a kinder, more understanding world.
Resources
- Listen to Katie’s podcast, Raising Kind Humans
- Website: teamkindhumans.com
- Instagram: @katie_doughty
- Threads: @katie_doughty
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
- Want a break from all the school planning you did this Fall? Sign up for online classes with Brave Writer and know your classes will be there when you’re ready. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more!
- Want to give your kid the best chance at learning a musical instrument but don’t know where to start? Join Hoffman Academy to get award-winning piano lessons online at hoffmanacademy.com and use discount code LEARN for 10% off!
- Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
- Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
- Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Go to bravewriter.com/getting-started
- Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz
Connect with Julie
- Website: bravewriter.com
- Instagram: @juliebravewriter
- Threads: @juliebravewriter
- Twitter: @bravewriter
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Twitter: @melissawiley
- Facebook: facebook.com/authorMelissaWiley
Produced by NOVA Media
Brave Writer Precept #12: All of Life is an Opportunity for Education
The twelfth Brave Writer precept is: We affirm that a good enough homeschool is one where our family chooses to see all of life as an opportunity for an education—whether we homeschool to the end, or include traditional schooling in that journey.
It’s time to bring our precept journey to a close! We have twelve in all, and this one is the key to the whole experience of parent-invested education.
We may want a formula, or a plan, or a guarantee that what we choose will lead to high academic achievement and happy, life-long learners. We may think that the choices we make are so critical that if we miss the mark or experiment, we will fail.
A Shared Life of Learning
What we all know about homeschooling is this: it is merely a shared life of learning. Learning includes (by definition):
- discovery of what works and doesn’t,
- understanding more over time,
- gaining skills with practice.
If that’s true of math and writing, it’s also true of providing an education. We learn by doing and in doing, we discover what is best for each child in our family. Sometimes that journey includes going to traditional schools as part of the education process.
“You’re doing it right if you stay connected, and every now and then pause in awe. Look! Those are my amazing human beings!” –The Brave Learner
Brave Writer’s 12 Precepts
Happy Holidays!
We at Brave Writer wish you all the best during this holiday season!
In these upcoming days as this year draws to a close, we hope you are able to slow the pace of your everyday life and savor the beauty of family.
The staff of Brave Writer will also be slowing the pace a bit in these last days of 2023.
Between December 25 and January 2, we will only be available to answer urgent questions via email, such as log in or class payment issues.
Non-urgent emails, however, such as product help and class recommendations, will be addressed after the holidays, the week of January 3.
Please feel free to continue to post and participate in our Brave Learner Home community, if you are a member.
Thank you for all the ways you show us that our work is meaningful in your lives.
Happy New Year! See you in 2024.
Have a wonderful end of the year celebration!
Friday Freewrite: Predictions
To “predict” something is to say what you think will happen in the future based on things like observation, experience, or reason. What do you predict you’ll be doing in one hour, one day, one week, one month, and one year from now?
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