This is a perfect book when you would like a quiet thoughtful conversation with your children on how being kind can make a big difference.
One Smile by Cindy McKinley is a wonderful book to help show my boys the results of service. It is about a girl who smiles at someone who needs it and then shows the "boomerang" effect that happens when kindness and service are given. Each continued act of service in the book gave us a chance to talk about how we affect others, how it feels to be helped, and the good ways to show our gratitude.
The book also gave us a chance to further develop our explanation on how service affects others rather than the "it helps them feel good" explanation that is typical for young children.
In fact, the next morning, my 6 year old was trying to talk about something at school and was able to find the words by using an example we had read from the book! Understanding what service is to others and the language to explain that is important in teaching children to serve.
Great read and a good experience for a quiet afternoon!
If you want a nice video that also illustrates how kindness spreads, check out this video from Life Vest called "Kindness Boomerang"--
Interested in more movies and videos about service and kindness?
Check out the "Movie and Videos About Service" Pinterest Board for Pennies of Time!
Books are such a great teaching tool! Have you read How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath? Check it out.
ReplyDeleteGreat recommendation! Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteThis book is new to me. Thanks for sharing at The Children's Bookshelf.
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