Encouraging kind hearts
Hundreds of Manawatu¯ schoolchildren have had a lesson in kindness.
About 860 children attended the Manawatu¯ Kind Hearts in schools event at Palmerston North’s Arena yesterday, which had a ‘‘be kind to yourself’’ theme.
There were 22 schools and about 200 children last year, but numbers were way up this year, with 36 schools attending.
Kind Hearts schools spokeswoman Raewyn Marshall said the children were learning how to be kind. ‘‘It’s not a lesson, but a resource to help create a culture of kindness in classes and in schools.’’
The children did activities celebrating kindness and a band performed a song.
The children were given a list of 50 acts of kindness, including holding a door open for someone, complimenting someone, or picking up rubbish, and they had to decide which acts were already happening in their school and what could and should be happening.
Kind Hearts chief executive Miriam Peel said the organisation was created to encourage acts of kindness and build ‘‘kind cultures’’ in schools. ‘‘It’s to teach them about kindness and responsibility. Kindness is really important in life and it makes everyone’s life better.’’ She said it wasn’t difficult for people to do small things, such as smiling.
Kind Hearts sends out kindness kits to schools, which contain ideas for kind acts the children can do. The group also speaks at school assemblies.
Comedian and mental health advocate Mike King was the guest speaker. King was unable to travel to Palmerston North, but appeared via Skype instead.