February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness day, and who wouldn’t agree that instilling kindness and empathy in our children is an important part of parenting?
But with many parents still rightfully worried about COVID or other viruses (after all, February is still flu season), how can we encourage children to participate in random acts of kindness while social distancing or practicing other COVID safety protocols? Check out our list of suggestions below, which include cautious (with lots of social distancing!) and more relaxed options.
Engage positively with your neighbors.
Encourage your child to think about the folk who live around you, and things they might need. Does someone have a dog that might enjoy a walk? Are there neighborhood kids who might appreciate some new chalk? Perhaps the family with the new baby or the sick parent might want some help with dinner?
Chat about ways that you could do a kind deed for a neighbor (and feel free to just drop off the meal on the porch for a contactless exchange!)
2. 
Write a kind chalk message on your sidewalk for your neighbors to see.
Google examples of kind messages if your child is having a hard time thinking of something they might want to say. This is a great opportunity to do something kind without receiving actual feedback for it but just for the sake of kindness itself, an important skill to cultivate.
3. 
Give Grandma or Grandpa a call.
Grandparents always love to hear from their grandkids. This is a great way to also introduce phone etiquette–how to use a phone, respond with words (rather than nodding one’s head), ask questions, answer questions politely, and wait after saying goodbye before hanging up.
If your child is nervous about staying on the phone too long, encourage them that their grandparent will be excited even for a one-minute phone call because it shows that the grandchild is thinking of them, and that they can always end a phone call
4. 
Help out a sibling or parent with a chore.
Your child can choose if they want to surprise their sibling by doing their chore without them knowing, or if they want to see what their sibling might need help with and then volunteer.
5. 
Support a local business.
With the surge of online shopping during the pandemic, this is the perfect time to talk about how supporting local businesses puts your money right back into your immediate community, meet and support people who live near you, and contribute to a more sustainable city.
6. 
Make a card for a classmate or teacher.
These are people your child sees every day, yet taking the time to do a little extra something for them could be very meaningful.
7. 
Choose some gently used clothing or toys to donate.
Talking about those less fortunate and thinking of ways we can personally help them is a lovely way to foster empathy as well as gratitude.
