Kindness

March 16, 2010 Kindness Ratio of interactions- 18 unkind things to 1 positive/kind thing 40% less quality time spent between parents and children. Japanese spend the money and time on their children. American trend seems to be Parents do not want to spend the time. Americans spend their time and money on “how many cars they can sell, how many things they can sell.” NOT children. Commercials- Japanese commercials noted in this chapter – focus on children. Comparison between Japanese and American school systems is unfair because they spend money on year round school. Talking about commercials- desensitization of our children- kids are desensitized to cruelty and violence- Intentionally teaching kindness- what is kind and what is not kind Time- how much time parents spend with their kids- Times have changed- even though we are working with inclusion and inclusive settings- it is more a “tolerance” situation. Media influence on the kids- “Prime time” is getting more and more violent. Every chapter in the book is talking about modeling the behaviors or virtues. - But not only modeling, but inspecting your own behaviors and how you are modeling these virtues. Kindness- Jen: everyone seems to be involved with their own thing- very “self absorbed.” Joanne: I think Some people want to be kind- but don’t know how it is going to be taken. So many people are not sure how to take it. Another thread throughout the book is to keep the virtues at the front of discipline… discipline the action- not the child. Teach our kids to be Thoughtful with animals. Amy- Respect: A real life story and example of disrespect and then the response from adults. Lack of manners.