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Quote of the Week
"Always be a little kinder than necessary." -- James M. Barrie
Practicing Kindness
"AI is all the buzz these days. From a short-term perspective, it evokes tremendous uncertainty and fear; from a medium-term perspective, it feels like an engine for massive disruption (at best, rewriting all the rules of order and at worst, risking mass extinction); and from an infinite perspective, it's yet another opportunity to ask the simple question: what would love do?
Pondering all three timelines, ServiceSpace has come up with an exciting new pilot project! Welcome to ServiceSpace GPT. Click here to try it." (To know more about the evolution of SSP-GPT click here)
A few Kindful Kids parents (and children) were attempting to experiment with our very own AI friend on board ;) curious to ask some complex questions with the hope to get some wholesome responses. Here's what a 12-year-old's curiosity asked. Below is what Ssp-GPT responded with.
How do you be kind when people are being mean?
Being kind when people are mean can be challenging, but it's a powerful way to break the cycle of negativity and can even lead to personal growth. Here are some steps to help you practice kindness in the face of unkind behavior:
1. Practice empathy: Try to understand the person's perspective and recognize that they might be going through a tough time, which might be causing them to act mean. This understanding can help you to respond with compassion rather than reacting negatively.
2. Stay calm: Do not let the person's behavior provoke you. Breathe deeply and maintain your composure to avoid escalating the situation.
3. Separate the person from their actions: Just as in the case of Gandhi, we can oppose the negative action or behavior, but we should remember that the person is greater than their actions, and try to focus on their positive potential.
4. Be a role model: Demonstrate kindness and respect in your own behavior. Treat the person with politeness, even if they are mean to you. This can sometimes help the other person to rethink their behavior and become more kind themselves.
5. Practice small acts of forgiveness: Extending care and compassion when someone harms you can help build the "forgiveness muscle." This can lead to increased understanding and kindness towards others.
6. Set boundaries: While practising kindness, it's important to remember that you should also protect yourself and maintain healthy boundaries. Sometimes, it may be necessary to distance yourself from the person or situation if their behavior continues to be harmful or toxic.
7. Reflect on your own feelings and reactions: Acknowledge any emotions that arise in response to the person's behavior, and try to understand what might be triggering them. This self-awareness can help you maintain a compassionate perspective.
8. Engage in acts of kindness for others: Connecting with people who appreciate your kind gestures and receiving their positive reactions can inspire you to continue practising kindness, even when faced with unkindness from others. Remember that kindness is contagious, and our actions can influence those around us.
Reading Corner
Title: Seeds and Trees
By: Brandon Walden
Ages: 4-8
"Seeds and Trees revels in the power of words. It explores their effects on feelings and emotions. And it does so through the journey of two different seeds.
In Seeds and Trees, discover a young prince who gathers seeds both green and dark from those he encounters, and then gifts them forward. He faithfully plants and waters all those seeds daily, but comes to realise that the dark trees harm the green ones. With the help of a kind friend he discovers he can cut down, uproot, and then replace those dark trees with green seeds, creating a beautiful vibrant garden. Be careful what you water, for it will surely grow." - Publishers
Recommended by Kindful Kids Editors
Be The Change
There are many kind gestures and simple ways to show kindness in your everyday life.
This week:
1) Smile At People You Pass On The Street.
2) Give Compliments Freely.
3) Express Gratitude.
4) Make An Effort To Listen When Someone Is Talking To You.
5) Practice Kindness Randomly.
6) Let Someone Go Ahead Of You.
7) Stand Up For Others.
8) Be Kind To Yourself.
Kindful Kids newsletter is a resource for parents who are keen to teach children about compassion and service. It reaches 3,938 subscribers. You can unsubscribe here.
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