2 Responses to How Parents Can Help Kids Cultivate Kindness : NPR

1. Auntysocial says:

   July 6, 2019 at 4:49 pm

   What an interesting article. To be honest I’d have thought humans are generally more inclined to be selfish and needing help to veer more towards kindness just because of it being a main factor for survival if you will.

   I do find however that children respond brilliantly to animals especially when they can see the influence and reward of what they put in. For example I’ve taught nieces and nephew or young children of friends some really basic trick training with my dogs. Teaching a young child how to get a dog to shake a paw or roll over on cue has this big switch that makes them realise they can be good, bad and decide how a dog feels about them.

   A big part of that includes teaching them how important it is never to force or push them and keep tit sweet, short and end on a high. They wouldn’t like to do chores or housework if it came with no reward for their efforts so why should a dog? They get that and it helps them develop empathy for animals in a simpler, easier way that kids understand.

   Studies have shown how dogs just refuse to cooperate with humans when they give the same effort as another dog but get no reward.

   Quite sad really there’s a clip demonstrating it with two dogs – both asked to do the same simple thing and only one dog is given a treat. The other dog whines, whimpers and eventually lays on his side refusing to do anything else.

   Sure he got a huge reward afterwards but it’s a simple lesson in “how would you like it?”

   I know a young lad from a difficult background who enjoyed spending time with my horses and the one thing he really struggled with was turning his back and walking away / ignoring a horse that was nipping or kicking the stable door. It’s a simple non-aversive means of letting the horse know that behaviour will not be given any time or attention – good or bad. You nip and kick you get nothing.

   He was fine once I’d explained it isn’t being cruel, unkind or upsetting the horse it’s just letting him know that behaviour isn’t worth doing. Still quite heartbreaking to see how he reacted when I first asked him to walk away from a horse trying to bite him because he knew how it felt to be ignored.

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   • Sue Rosenbloom, M.A., C.T. says:

     July 16, 2019 at 6:36 pm

     Thank you for your insightful and always meaningful remarks. Stay joyful!

     LikeLiked by 1 person

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