Its a Canadian thing!
I would say of course it is, because on the world scale we are a kind people, but those who live in this country can attest that we have our fair share of unkind people.
Compared to our southern neighbours I feel we are more accepting of others, however tolerance starts at home and so does bullying!
In 2007 two students in Canada came up with Pink Shirt Day as an Anti-bullying day after homophobic children threatened and bullied boys for wearing pink.
It is now celebrated around the world!
In our home we teach blindness, blind to race, gender, ethnics, or sexual preference. We teach this not to be blind of their struggles but to love them for who they are. We teach to stand up for those who can not stand up for themselves to ALWAYS say something.
I am a strong believer that those who say nothing are just as bad as those doing the bullying, even if you say nothing to the bullies you can say something to a teacher, a parent or another adult.
I find it is harder to teach this to children who come from homes where hurtful words, hitting and yelling are the go to when you are mad or don't get what you want. Young children don't understand the impact of their words but adults do. This means it is in adult hands to teach that is kindness and what isn't by being a example!
In our house, when a child is being hurtful my response is "Stop, ask yourself, is what I am doing kind?" if the answer is no then stop what you are doing and walk away.
It is never okay to hurt someone else either by words or by hands on. Slowly the girls are learning that it's not okay but its going to take a long time to help them to learn the proper tools.
In society with a president who is a bully on a world scale it is harder to teach children that they don't get what they want by bullying when that is what he did to get himself where he is and what we see in media on a daily basis. I am grateful that despite what some Canadians think our prime minister believes and uses his words and discussions to defuse situations instead of instantly going to bully mode.
Parents who bully their children at home to get them to do what they want them to do. Such as threats, yelling, hitting, etc only teach children that this is the normal and only way to get what they need done.
This isn't the case, you can get more of what you need by using kindness and I hope that even with the girls here and struggling with learning kindness to each other that Blaine keeps his kindness. Keeps his always inviting others to play and if they don't want to play, that's okay! Here I can share my toys and you are welcome to play when your ready.
We don't need to lead with a heavy hand!
Yes I believe that on a world scale with leaders of other countries are hurting their people, and we have done talking and trying. Then we need to use a heavy hand but all other options need to exhausted first!
Children mimic what they see. If they see me inviting others to play, to join, using kind words, giving to those in need then with time they do the same thing.
Our children deserve our kindness!
Those children who are bullies deserve our kindness as a first response.
Did you wear pink on pink shirt day? We all did here. I made the girls shirts when I made my client order shirts so they could wear them to school.
Do you believe in kindness as the first response? What is your opinion?
