I want my children to be kind. I want them to feel compassion for others. I want them to grow up to become persons of great character. I want the desire to perform random acts of kindness to come naturally to them. I want them to cherish kindness.

But how do I teach this?

How, in a world where the message is overwhelmingly “me first,” do I instill a natural tendency for selfless compassion and kindness?

Knowing, of course, that our children learn most from our example, I need to step up my own modeling of kindness. More4Kids has some wonderfully detailed ways to show our children examples of acts of kindness.

How are you teaching your children to pay it forward? What are some random acts of kindness you’ve shown in the presence of your children? What are some ways you’ve seen your children being kind and displaying compassion? Please share!

(photo from istockphoto)