During the holiday season, I saw an idea on a blog (sorry, I can't remember where) about creating a paper chain during advent, counting the days before Jesus' arrival. It was too late to start our own advent paper chain, but I used the idea in a different way...to recognize my #1 rule....being kind. Each time one of my kids was kind, a link was added to the chain. We wrote the kind act with their name and we watched the chain get longer and longer. When the chain touched the floor, we had a family movie night (it's a rare occurance to watch movies at night in our house). We made popcorn, hot chocolate and cuddled up to watch "How to Train Your Dragon".
I didn't anticipate it taking so many links (50 to be exact) before it reached the floor, but it managed to keep the kids interested and motivated. By the last day, they were doing kind things left and right, trying to earn the last few links.
Yes, I realize that kids should be kind, regardless of whether or not there is a treat in it for them. But they are kids who are still figuring things out and learning. The hope is that they start to be able to recognize kindness in themselves and others and become motivated to be kind, even without the "carrot hanging on the string".
This is a way to make the learning fun, for all of us.
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. "
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. "
Dalai Lama
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