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Olympic Runners' Mutual Acts of Kindness

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Olympic Runners' Mutual Acts of Kindness

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Olympic runners reflect on their mutual act of kindness

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After colliding during the women's 5000m, Olympic runners Abbey D'Agostino and Nikki Hamblin helped each other to the finish line. CBS News' Alex Pena talked with the pair about their selfless display of sportsmanship, even in the heat of the competition.

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A place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the KindSpring community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust.

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Inclusiveness

If you follow our calendar you know that June is the month we focus on inclusiveness. As the warm sun envelops us and the days grow longer, we are entering...

June 1, 2023 | 0 comments | 1 like

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A collection of inspiring kindness content from around the world.

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Generosity is one of the basic elements in human happiness. However, research shows that just 1 in 10 people experience generosity from others. We would like to help change that trend, by doing something more than just giving chocolate. For one day only, Anthon Berg opened "The Generous Store".

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A place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the KindSpring community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust.

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This profile on UC Berkeley Professor Dacher Keltner highlights his breakthrough research on the science of kindness and compassion.

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Life Vest Inside - Kindness Boomerang - "One Day"

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Take a Seat, Make a Friend | SoulPancake Street Team

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"Every Kid Needs a Champion" by Rita Pierson

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"Every Kid Needs a Champion" by Rita Pierson

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Schools try many approaches to encourage students to be kind and helpful, from rewarding them for good behavior, to implementing service-learning programs, to directly teaching them social and emotional skills.

But sometimes the most powerful learning happens when students are encouraged to discover something for themselves-especially when what they're "learning" is already a natural part of who they are as human beings. And according to science, altruism is a natural part of us all.

Kindness starts young

Many studies have demonstrated that children as young as 14 months have innate altruistic tendencies, well before socialization can have a major influence on their development.

For example, researchers Felix Warneken and Michael Tomasello found that in a variety of situations in which an adult experimenter was ostensibly having trouble performing a task, 18-month-old infants readily helped. In one scenario, an experimenter who was hanging towels on a clothesline dropped a clothespin and appeared to have trouble reaching for it. In an even more challenging scenario, the experimenter was unsuccessfully trying to get a spoon by squeezing his hand through a tiny hole in a box; unprompted, the children not only helped, but also showed the adult a more effective approach of lifting a flap on the side of the box.

In speculating why such young children had the impulse to help, Warneken noted that they did so even if no parent was present, and, thus, couldn't have been responding to unconscious parental cues. For instance, children still helped when doing so required them to disengage from playing with a toy or to climb over obstacles. "Children are thus motivated to help another person," writes Warneken, "even if it involves opportunity costs or effort to do so."

Science has also shown that young children receive a boost in positive emotions when giving away something of their own to another. For example, in one study toddlers were introduced to a puppet that liked treats. Each child was given eight treats for him/herself and then watched the experimenter give a treat to the puppet. After being asked, children gave one of their own treats to the puppet. Next, the experimenter found a treat and asked the child to give it to the puppet. Researchers found that while the children's happiness levels increased when they shared a "found" treat, happiness levels were even higher when the children sacrificed their own treat.

While these experiments show that kindness and its resultant joy are innate from a very young age, this quality/experience still needs to be cultivated as children enter environments where incentives that support these aspects aren't always in place. Thus, it is incumbent upon schools to create environments in which these qualities can flourish.

A case study in giving

In 2006, a group of 8th graders at Pitt River Middle School in British Columbia got a first-hand lesson in the joy that kindness brings-a lesson that quickly spread throughout the rest of their school.

After attending a workshop led by social-emotional learning expert Kim Schonert-Reichl, teacher Kiren Chand excitedly shared with her students what she had learned: science has shown that being kind to others makes us happy. Struck by this simple key to happiness, the students were inspired to test the science for themselves.

They started by anonymously performing a single act of kindness for each class. But once the students saw how grateful and happy their kind acts made other people feel, they decided to keep going. Hence, the Breakfast Club was born.

Over the next few months, the Breakfast Club performed anonymous acts of kindness for staff and students throughout the school. For example, each teacher received a personalized thank you note in his or her mailbox, as well as giftcards that the students persuaded the local Starbucks to donate. Inspired by this initial success, the students solicited other local businesses and received such an overwhelming response that they were able to prepare a Christmas gift bag for every staff member and student in the school.

As a result, the climate of the school began to improve. Staff and students reported feeling happier, more included, and more appreciated. And the kindness became contagious; other classes paired up to leave anonymous surprises for each other. At the end of the school year, the Breakfast Club issued a challenge: If the student body collected 1,300 food items for the local food bank, the Club members would reveal their identities. The challenge was met.

The ultimate mission of the Breakfast Club was for everyone in the school to feel the way they did when being kind to others -exactly what science suggested they would-an inner joy. "As students started helping others out and giving gifts anonymously," wrote one student who was not in the Club, "they found out that when you are kind to others, you feel warm and happy inside."

What schools can do to cultivate kindness

Both research and experience offer some key insights for schools that would like to develop students' innate kindness:
1. Hold the rewards.
Schools don't need to reward kind behavior; the reward occurs naturally through the warm feeling that comes from helping another person. People who witness others doing unexpected kind acts often get a similar warm and uplifting feeling-what psychologist and researcher Jonathan Haidt calls elevation. Haidt's research shows that across cultures, human beings are moved and inspired when they see others acting with courage or compassion, and this elevation makes them more likely to want to help others and become better people. As one student wrote to the Breakfast Club, "You are starting to rub off on people so they can make other people happy."

Yet rewarding children for kind actions has become commonplace in our schools-for example, in programs such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. These kinds of rewards go against everything researchers know about developing altruistic tendencies in children. Perhaps the most convincing argument comes from a study in which scientists found that 20-month-old children who were offered a reward for helping behavior were less likely to help again than those who hadn't received a reward.

Instead of offering rewards for good behavior, teachers and school administrators should model kindness toward students and one another. If students see the adults behaving compassionately and if they understand that they are responsible for doing their part to create a kind and helpful school community, they will be intrinsically motivated to act on their natural proclivity for altruism.
2. A gentle nudge will do.
It doesn't take much to bring out students' inherent kindness. Simply hearing about the science of kindness motivated the Breakfast Club students to try it for themselves. But research suggests that it can be even easier than that.

In a study published in the journal Psychological Science, 18-month-old infants were shown photos, each featuring one of four backgrounds: blocks, two dolls facing each other, a single doll, or two dolls facing away from each other. The study revealed that the background of the photo decisively influenced behavior: The toddlers who saw the dolls facing each other were three times more likely to spontaneously help a person in need than were the toddlers who saw the other background images. All it took was a gentle reminder of our human connectedness to prompt these toddlers to reach out and help someone.

Such reminders are easy for schools to do: Hang posters that show kind, helpful behavior; greet students by name as they enter the classroom; use a warm tone of voice with students; write an encouraging word on an assignment; start the day with a positive quote; share stories of kindness. Teachers and school leaders could add to this list ad infinitum.
3. Express gratitude.
Saying "thank you" to someone who has done something kind for you is not the same as rewarding that person. Instead, it's an affirmation that we have received a gift. According to gratitude expert Robert Emmons, gratitude is a relationship-strengthening emotion. "Mainly," he writes, "because it requires us to see how we've been supported and affirmed by other people."

The staff at Pitt River Middle School expressed their gratitude to the anonymous Breakfast Club through a letter to the editor in the local newspaper that read in part,

You are showing that the true reward is not in being identified as a gift giver, but in the action of giving. That is the greatest gift of all. What the Breakfast Club has given the Pitt River staff will not be lost or forgotten by us.

Schools that implement practices fostering gratitude receive a myriad of benefits. Research by Jeffrey Froh and Giacomo Bono indicates that gratitude increases students' positive emotions and optimism, decreases their negative emotions and physical symptoms, and makes them feel more connected and satisfied with school and with life in general. Gratitude also makes teachers feel more satisfied and accomplished and less emotionally exhausted.

Fortunately, gratitude is one of the easiest things to encourage in schools. Here are a few ideas:

Hang gratitude bulletin boards in the school hallways and in the staff room on which people can write what they're grateful for.

Start or end class time or staff meetings with everyone stating one thing for which they're grateful.

Have students keep gratitude journals.

Create a classroom gratitude book to send home with a different student each week. Ask each student's family to add a page of pictures and descriptions of what they're grateful for.

Lighting the Torch

"A student is not a container you have to fill, but a torch you have to light up."

This oft-quoted saying from Albert Einstein beautifully expresses what the students of Pitt River Middle School experienced through the Breakfast Club. Rather than being coerced into kindness by the promise of rewards, they discovered of their own volition what was already inside them: the joy that arises from making the world a better place.

Scientific research has shown us that the spark of kindness resides in everyone, and that even small actions can fan that spark into a flame. I encourage you to put this idea to the test in your school.

A slightly different version of this article originally appeared in Educational Leadership, Summer 2014 edition.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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Three Ways for Schools to Help Kids Cultivate Kindness

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Schools try many approaches to encourage students to be kind and helpful, from rewarding them for good behavior, to implementing service-learning programs, to directly teaching them social and emotional skills. But sometimes the most powerful learning happens when students are encouraged to discover something for themselves-especially when what they're "learning" is already a natural part of who they are as human beings.

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Kindness Wall promotes positivity among middle schoolers

Names were written on pieces of paper and dropped in a bowl. Then each middle schooler drew a name from the bowl and wrote a message of kindness to the recipient - even if they did not know the student. The message was then posted on the first floor bulletin board of the Middle School building.

"I like your smile," "You are very kind and helpful," "Thank you for helping me with --," You are a great listener," "I like how you play [this or that] sport" "I don't know you, but I would like to get to know you because you seem like a nice person."

These were only a handful of the 240 messages that were posted on the wall.

The effect was contagious.

"The Kindness Wall had a snowball effect," said Oulaya Samhoun, Middle School Counselor, one of the brains behind the idea, along with Principal Phil Wendel and music teacher Nick Thornton. "It triggered random acts of kindness among students."

Samhoun shared a few stories.

"A new student arrived after we had put up the Kindness Wall, so one of his classmates approached me and asked me if he could still write him a note," said Samhoun. "Of course, I agreed." So the student wrote a note that was signed by several other students in the class, and it was posted on the Kindness Wall.

"Another student came and told me that he distributed lemonade to all the workers on the Rabbit Field," she added. "'Isn't it Kindness Week?' he asked me."

Samhoun explained that the teachers came up with the idea because they wanted to promote kindness, "regardless of how we look, how we act, how we talk."

ACS implements a social-emotional curriculum throughout all grades, with the intent of developing the well-being of students. In Middle School, each teacher meets with a designated group of about five students once every cycle (or about once a week), during which they discuss social and emotional skills, such as collaboration, responsibility, time management, bullying, drug and alcohol awareness, among many other topics.

Promoting kindness among each other is an aspect of social-emotional development, noted Samhoun.

Indeed, the ripple effects of the activity kept on being felt weeks after it was initiated. More than a week after the board was put up, Middle School students could still be seen during breaks checking the Kindness Wall to read the positive messages they and their friends had received.

"It's so nice to see all these people writing compliments to others," said one middle schooler as she checked the board during break. "It spreads positivity."

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ACS Beirut News - The American Community School Beirut, also known as ACS Beirut, is a private school located in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. It is an independent private coeducational institution offering education to students of all nationalities, ranging from Preschool, students aged from 3 years, to High School Grade 12 of the type K-12.

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Talking with R.J. Palacio (author of Wonder) about KINDNESS...

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Talking with R.J. Palacio (author of Wonder) about KINDNESS...

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In these days that feel a lot less kind and a lot more abrasive than many of us would like, where good examples for our children to emulate might be a little harder to find, books such as " Wonder," by R.J. Palacio, offer a balm and a positive path for all of us to think about and discuss.

If you haven't read the book (which just hit its fifth anniversary and has now sold 5 million copies) with your middle-grade kids, this might be a good time. The novel will have you rooting for Auggie Pullman, a boy with severe facial differences, and for the hard-earned friends who soon stop seeing him as different. They just see him as Auggie. If you're like me, you'll also read it and think: "Okay, how can I make sure my kids grow up to be the good guys?"

And if that book might be too advanced for your children, you're in luck: Palacio has a new picture book for younger readers coming out in March called " We're All Wonders. "

Palacio spends many of her days speaking with schoolchildren and teachers about kindness, and has recently started interviewing kids about what they think kindness means. "Kids are so amazing," she said recently. "I think they will make the world into a much better place."

As part of the book's anniversary celebration, Palacio has launched a #ChooseKindValentine effort that encourages social media users to be a part of a kindness chain. The idea is to do something nice for someone, then post that act of kindness and tag someone else. "Kindness is infectious," Palacio said. "It grows exponentially, and eventually, it always comes back to you as well."

I spoke with Palacio about Wonder, which certainly illustrates that infectious kindness, and how parents need to remember that teaching kindness shouldn't stop at the sandbox. It must also be taught when they are older, especially during middle school and beyond.
How did the idea of Wonder first come about?
I was with both of my sons in front of an ice cream store. My younger son, 3, started to cry because we were near this little girl who had severe craniofacial differences. At the time, I didn't react the way I wish I had. I was so fearful his reaction would hurt her, I tried to leave the scene as quickly as possible. Then I realized she may think it was because I didn't want him to see her. Sometimes you just don't know how to respond as well-meaning as you mean to be. It was that situation that prompted me to think what it must be like to be this child and this child's mother. I started writing that night, more as a meditation, and I just kept writing.
When you started to write the book, did you set out to write about kindness?
I didn't know it would be an overarching theme. But my older son was going into the sixth grade. I was around middle-schoolers a lot. We spend so much time [when they are little] teaching sandbox rules, we spend a lot of time worrying about these little moral codes. But by the time they get into middle school, we forget to remind them. They need it then more than ever. We spend more time on "Did you do your homework?" So it occurred to me that these kids need to be reminded how to be kind to one another. They need us to inspire them to be kind to one another. There's so much talk in movies and on TV where meanness passes for normal in middle school, like middle school is just something you need to just get through. I don't know why we have to accept that cruelty passes as normal. So I wanted a book that reminded people it's okay to be kind, it's not a sign of weakness. And it's not just about not being a bully, it's about showing empathy and compassion.

[5 ways to raise kids to be kind]
So how does a parent raise a Jack Will [the character in the book who becomes one of Auggie's best friends]?
He had to be pushed into being Jack Will. His first impulse was not 'Hey, I want to go play with that kid.' But his mother took the time to talk to him and not mandate it, but inspire him. That's where adults really have so much impact on kids. I always thought it was strange when adults told me, 'Oh, she doesn't listen to me anymore' and their child is a preteen. They hear it. They may roll their eyes and do their preteen stuff, but they're hearing us. With Jack Will, it set him straight. Contrast that with Julian's [the bully in the book] parents, who were so intent on giving him a perfect experience, they were blinded to the fact that he wasn't a kind child. And they weren't able to instruct him to be kind. We all need to remember that we're raising our own kids, but we're helping to raise other kids, too. Even if our kids are socially adept and having a great time in school, we should be aware of the kids who are struggling and inspire our kids to reach out as well.

This book is for middle grades. Tell me about the new picture book. For the last several years, I've had teachers suggest I do a picture book version of Wonder. The message would be wonderful for younger kids. I took the theme of being different and being a wonder and kindness and created a story around a little boy, Auggie Pullman, who uses his imagination to deal with the hostility he receives because of his looks.

What do you think of the current situation in America, in regards to kindness and what our kids are experiencing? One of the big tragedies of this election cycle has been just how exposed kids have been to the absolute devastating cruelty and meanness of what passed for ordinary politics and continues to pass. The lack of respect, lack of dignity, the lack of any shame about lying, all the things we teach our kids not to be. Kids learn what they live. So if they see the president of the United States mocking a disabled person, or an entire political organization singling out a culture or religion, they internalize that. My hope is that a book like "Wonder," and any other book out there that can undo the harm that this election cycle has done, will at least mitigate what has happened.

How can parents help them get through the current reality? Now more than ever, parents need to step up. They talk about sanctuary cities and states, but we need sanctuary schools and homes. We can protect ourselves and our kids from the ugliness and cruelty that passes for normal and make sure we provide a little haven of our own. A haven of kindness.
Follow On Parenting on Facebook for more essays, advice and news. You can find more parenting coverage at washingtonpost.com/onparenting, and sign up for our newsletter here. You might also be interested in: How to raise kinder, less entitled kids (according to science) Tough times out there? Here's why reading with your kids is more important now than ever. 10 ways to foster kindness and empathy in kids

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Why parents need to teach middle-schoolers kindness, from the author of 'Wonder'

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In these days that feel a lot less kind and a lot more abrasive than many of us would like, where good examples for our children to emulate might be a little harder to find, books such as " Wonder," by R.J.

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A place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the KindSpring community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust.

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24 mini-stories about the kindness of strangers...

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24 mini-stories about the kindness of strangers...

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Yasu + Junko for Reader's Digest

We asked readers for firsthand accounts of compassion. Here are 24 stories that touched your lives-and our hearts.

The Man at the Market

When the supermarket clerk tallied up my groceries, I was $12 over what I had on me. I began to remove items from the bags, when another shopper handed me a $20 bill. "Please don't put yourself out," I told him. "Let me tell you a story," he said. "My mother is in the hospital with cancer. I visit her every day and bring her flowers. I went this morning, and she got mad at me for spending my money on more flowers. She demanded that I do something else with that money. So, here, please accept this. It is my mother's flowers." - Leslie Wagner, Peel, Arkansas. Here are 30 more acts of kindness you can do in two minutes or less.

Jim and the Job

My neighbor, Jim, had trouble deciding if he wanted to retire from the construction field, until he ran into a younger man he'd worked with previously. The young man had a wife and three children and was finding it difficult to make ends meet, since he hadn't worked in some time. The next morning, Jim went to the union office and submitted his retirement paperwork. As for his replacement, he gave them the name of the young man. That was six years ago, and that young husband and father has been employed ever since. - Miranda MacLean, Brutus, Michigan.

A Family's Food Angel

While going through a divorce, my mother fretted over her new worries: no income, the same bills, and no way to afford groceries. It was around this time that she started finding boxes of food outside our door every morning. This went on for months, until she was able to land a job. We never did find out who it was who left the groceries for us, but they truly saved our lives. - Jamie Boleyn, Emmett, Idaho. These 12 heartwarming stories will restore your faith in humanity.

Color Me Amazed
Yasu + Junko for Reader's Digest
I forgot about the rules on liquids in carry-on luggage, so when I hit security at the airport, I had to give up all my painting supplies. When I returned a week later, an attendant was at the baggage area with my paints. Not only had he kept them for me, but he'd looked up my return date and time in order to meet me. - Marilyn Kinsella, Canmore, Canada

Seven Miles For Me

Leaving a store, I returned to my car only to find that I'd locked my keys and cell phone inside. A teenager riding his bike saw me kick a tire and say a few choice words. "What's wrong?" he asked. I explained my situation. "But even if I could call my wife," I said, "she can't bring me her car key, since this is our only car." He handed me his cell phone. "Call your wife and tell her I'm coming to get her key." "That's seven miles round trip." "Don't worry about it." An hour later, he returned with the key. I offered him some money, but he refused. "Let's just say I needed the exercise," he said. Then, like a cowboy in the movies, he rode off into the sunset. - Clarence W. Stephens, Nicholasville, Kentucky. Take a look at these incredible photos of heartwarming moments.

The Little Lift

One evening, I left a restaurant just ahead of a woman assisting her elderly mom. I approached the curb and paused to see if my arthritic knees could climb it. To my right appeared an arm to assist. It was that of the elderly mom. My heart was so touched. - Donna Moerie, Goldsboro, North Carolina

Bounty For a Navy Wife

I was balancing caring for a toddler and working a full-time job, all while my Navy husband was on extended duty overseas. One evening, the doorbell rang. It was my neighbor, a retired chief petty officer, holding a breadboard loaded with a freshly cooked chicken and vegetable stew. "I've noticed you're getting a little skinny," he said. It was the best meal I'd had in months. - Patricia Fordney, Corvallis, Oregon. Here are 10 life-changing acts of kindness you can do right now.

My Granddaughter's Dress
Yasu + Junko for Reader's Digest
I saw a dress in a consignment shop that I knew my granddaughter would love. But money was tight, so I asked the store owner if she could hold it for me. "May I buy the dress for you?" asked another customer. "Thank you, but I can't accept such a gracious gift," I said. Then she told me why it was so important for her to help me. She'd been homeless for three years, she said, and had it not been for the kindness of strangers, she would not have been able to survive. "I'm no longer homeless, and my situation has improved," she said. "I promised myself that I would repay the kindness so many had shown me." She paid for the dress, and the only payment she would accept in return was a heartfelt hug. - Stacy Lee, Columbia, Maryland

White Shoulders

A woman at our yard sale wore a perfume that smelled heavenly and familiar. "What are you wearing?" I asked. "White Shoulders," she said. Suddenly, I was bowled over by a flood of memories. White Shoulders was the one gift I could count on at Christmas from my late mother. We chatted awhile, and she bought some things and left. A few hours later, she returned holding a new bottle of White Shoulders. I don't recall which one of us started crying first. - Media Stooksbury, Powell, Tennessee. Try these effortless ways to be nicer to people.

Breaking Bread

Last December, before work, I stopped at a deli and ordered an everything bagel with cream cheese. It was toasty warm, and I couldn't wait to dig in. But as I left the store, I noticed an older indigent gentleman sitting at the bus stop. Knowing it would probably be his only warm meal of the day, I gave him the bagel. But all was not lost for me. Another customer from the deli offered me half of her bagel. I was so delighted because I realized that in one way or another, we are all looked after. - Liliana Figueroa, Phoenix, Arizona

"I Can Still Help"

As I walked through the parking lot, all I could think about was the dire diagnosis I had handed my patient Jimmy: pancreatic cancer. Just then, I noticed an elderly gentleman handing tools to someone working under his stalled car. That someone was Jimmy. "Jimmy, what are you doing?" I yelled out. Jimmy dusted off his pants. "My cancer didn't tell me not to help others, Doc," he said, before waving at the old man to start the car. The engine roared to life. The old man thanked Jimmy and drove off. Then Jimmy got into his car and took off as well. Take-home message: Kindness has no limits and no restrictions. - Mohammed Basha, Gainesville, Florida. Start giving these 10 little compliments to people every day.

Top Note

When my husband died unexpectedly, a coworker took me under her wing. Every week for an entire year, she would send me a card saying "Just Thinking of You" or "Hang in There." She saved my life. - Jerilynn Collette, Burnsville, Minnesota

He Kept an Eye on Me

Driving home in a blizzard, I noticed a vehicle trailing close behind me. Suddenly, my tire blew! I pulled off the road, and so did the other car. A man jumped out from behind the wheel and without hesitation changed the flat. "I was going to get off two miles back," he said. "But I didn't think that tire looked good." - Marilyn Attebery, Spokane Valley, Washington. Being kind to strangers is great, but don't forget these ways to be nicer to yourself.

My Commander's Call

It was one of my first missions on a gunship during the Vietnam War. I was scanning for enemy fire when I spotted a bright object that looked as if it were coming straight at us. "Missile! Missile!" I shouted into my interphone. The pilot jerked the airplane as hard as he could, dumping guys from one side of the craft to the next. Well, turns out the "missile" was a flare we had just dropped. Suffice it to say, the guys weren't pleased. Back at the base, my commander put an arm around my shoulder. "Sergeant Hunter," he said, "you keep calling them like you see them. Better safe than sorry." That kind act gave me the confidence to be one of the top gunners in my squadron. - Douglas Hunter, Fort Walton Beach, Florida

21 Apples From Max

When my grandson Max told his mother, Andrea, to donate any check she would give him for his 21st birthday, Andrea got an idea. She handed Max's brother Charlie a video camera. Then she took out 21 $10 bills from the bank and bought 21 apples at the supermarket. When they spotted a homeless man, Andrea told him, "Today is my son Max's 21st birthday, and he asked me to give a gift to someone to help him celebrate." She handed the man a $10 bill and an apple. The man smiled into the camera and announced, "Happy birthday, Max!" Soon, they passed out their booty to men and women waiting in line at a soup kitchen. In a unified chorus, they wished Max, "Happy birthday!" At a pizza parlor, Andrea left $50 and told the owners to feed the hungry. "Happy birthday, Max!" they shouted. With one last $10 bill and apple, they stopped at Andrea's sister's office. Unable to contain her laughter or her tears, she bellowed into the camera, "Happy birthday, Max!" - Dr. Donald Stoltz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Don't miss these 21 acts of kindness that changed these people's lives.

How Did She Know?

I was driving cross-country to start a new job. What began as a fun adventure turned into a nightmare when I realized I had run through most of my money and still had a ways to go. I pulled over and let the tears flow. That's when I noticed the unopened farewell card my neighbor had shoved in my hand as I left. I pulled the card out of the envelope, and $100 dropped out-just enough to get me through the remainder of my trip. Later, I asked my neighbor why she had enclosed the money. She said, "I had a feeling it would help." - Nadine Chandler, Winthrop, Massachusetts

Raised Right

Children were playing at the recreation area of an IKEA store when my five-year-old granddaughter motioned for a small boy to stop. She knelt down before him and retied his flopping shoelaces-she had only just learned to tie her own. No words were spoken, but after she finished, both smiled shyly, then turned to race off in different directions. - Sheela Mayes, Olla, Louisiana. Take a look at these 8 acts of kindness that turned into good karma.

Blanket Statement

When I was seven, my family drove to the Grand Canyon. At one point, my favorite blanket flew out the window and was gone. I was devastated. Soon after, we stopped at a service station. Moping, I found a bench and was about to eat my sandwich when a biker gang pulled into the station. "Is that your blue Ford?" a huge, frightening man with a gray-and-black beard asked. Mom nodded reticently. The man pulled my blanket from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. He then returned to his motorcycle. I repaid him the only way I knew how: I ran up to him and gave him my sandwich.
Zena Hamilton, United Kingdom

Just Driving Through

When my friend and I were injured in a car accident, a family from out of state stopped to help. Seeing we were hurt, they drove us to the hospital and stayed there until we were released. They then took us home, got us food, and made sure we were settled in. Amazingly, they interrupted their vacation to help us. - Cindy Earls, Ada, Oklahoma. Check out this story of how this generous man let a stranger borrow his car.

Butterflies of Support

I was four months pregnant with our first child when our baby's heart stopped beating. I was devastated. As the days went on, I was nervous about returning to work. I'm a middle school teacher and didn't know how I could face kids. This past May, after four weeks of recovering, I walked into my empty classroom and turned on the lights. Glued to the wall were a hundred colored paper butterflies, each with a handwritten message on it from current and past students. All of them had encouraging messages: "Keep moving forward," "Don't give up on God," and "Know that we love you." It was exactly what I needed.
Jennifer Garcia-Esquivel, San Benito, Texas

Twice as Nice

Two firefighters were waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant when the siren sounded on their fire truck parked outside. As they turned to leave, a couple who had just received their order handed their food to the firefighters. The couple then got back in line to reorder. Doubling down on their selfless act, the manager refused to take their money. - JoAnn Sanderson, Brandon, Florida. These are the nicest places in America, according to our readers.

Designated Driver

I'd pulled over onto the side of a New Mexico road and was suffering a panic attack when a minivan full of kids pulled over. A woman got out and asked if I was OK. "No," I said. Then I laid out what had happened: I was delivering books for a publishing company. My next stop was way, way up this long and winding and, to me, very treacherous road. I couldn't do it. "I'll deliver the books for you," she said. She was a local, and the roads were nothing for her. I took her up on the offer and never forgot the simple kindness of a stranger. - Doreen Frick, Ord, Nebraska

A Christmas Story

In January 2006, a fire destroyed a family's home. In that fire were all the belongings of a six-year-old boy, including his Christmas presents. A classmate from his school who had a birthday around then asked her parents if she could give all her gifts to the boy. That act of kindness will forever warm my heart because the boy is my grandson. - Donna Kachnowski, Lebanon, Connecticut. Christmas stories are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

She Gave Me Direction

As I left a party, I got on the wrong freeway and was immediately lost. I pulled over to the shoulder and called my roadside-assistance provider. She tried to connect me to the California Highway Patrol, but that call never went through. Hearing the panic in my voice, she came up with a plan B: "You're near this office," she said. "I'm about to go off shift. Stay put, and I'll find you." Ten minutes later, she rolled up. She guided me not only to the right freeway but all the way to the correct freeway exit. And then, with a wave goodbye, she drove back into the night. - Michelle Arnold, Santee, California. Next, check out these 50 random acts of kindness that don't cost a cent.

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24 Stories About the Touching Kindness of Strangers That'll Make You Tear Up

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Yasu + Junko for Reader's Digest We asked readers for firsthand accounts of compassion. Here are 24 stories that touched your lives-and our hearts. When the supermarket clerk tallied up my groceries, I was $12 over what I had on me. I began to remove items from the bags, when another shopper handed me a $20 bill.

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As your oldest child begins to fill out her college application, it is hard not to feel a rising panic. For the last four years she has thrown herself into her school work, taken AP classes, studied for the SAT, worked on the school paper, played on the field hockey team and tutored elementary school children.

Yet as she methodically records her activities on the application, it becomes clear that this was simply not enough. There are 10 looming blank spaces and although her days have been overflowing with homework, activities and volunteering, she has only five activities to report. There are 15 spaces to record the four AP classes she was so proud of taking.

You wonder who the kid is who can complete all of these blank spaces, and what has gone wrong that this is what applying to college now means.

A new report released today by Making Caring Common, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, takes a major step in trying to change the college admissions process to make it more humane, less super-human.

Parents, educators and college administrators have long wrestled with the unintended negative side effects of the admissions process, like the intense focus on personal achievement and the unfair advantages of more affluent students. The report, entitled Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good Through College Admissions, aims to tackle these complex issues. It lays out a blueprint for addressing three of the most intractable challenges facing college applicants today: excessive academic performance pressure, the emphasis on personal achievement over good citizenship, and the uneven opportunities available to students of varying income levels and backgrounds.

Many colleges have tried to address these concerns over the years but it takes a unified effort to make a big impact, says lead author Richard Weissbourd. More than 80 stakeholders, including admissions officers (like Harvard's), deans, professors and high school counselors have endorsed the report.

[5 ways to raise kind kids, according to a Harvard psychologist]

"It's the first time in history that I'm aware of" that a group of colleges is coming together to lay out what is and what isn't valued in the admissions process, says Weissbourd.

"Yes, we want students who have achieved in and out of the classroom, but we are also looking for things that are harder to quantify, [like] authentic intellectual engagement and a concern for others and the common good," explains Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale University, one of the report's endorsers.

In response to the report, Yale will be adding an essay question on next year's application that asks applicants "to reflect on engagement with and contribution to their family, community and/or the public good," Quinlan says. Yale will also "advocate for more flexibility in the extracurricular sections on both the Common Application and Coalition Application, so that colleges can more easily control how they ask students to list and reflect on their extracurricular involvement."

The University of Virginia is also in agreement with the report. "We support Turning the Tide because we philosophically agree with many of the principal points in the document, [like] promoting, encouraging, and developing good citizenship, strong character, personal responsibility, [and] civic engagement in high school students," says Gregory Roberts, the school's dean of admissions.

[How I survived 16 essays and the college application process]

Like Yale, several of the report's endorsers have already modified their admissions efforts or practices as a result of these findings. Weissbourd said that over the next two years, Making Caring Common will work with college admissions officers, parents, high school guidance counselors and others to further implement the report's recommendations. He hopes that many of these points will eventually be incorporated into the Common, Coalition and Universal applications as well.

Here are five highlights from the report, along with tips from Making Caring Common for how parents can help turn the tide:

1. Reduce stress by limiting course loads and extracurricular activities. Admissions offices can reduce undue pressure by sending a clear message that "long brag sheets do not increase students' chances of admission." To make this point, the authors recommend applications provide room for only two to four activities or ask students to describe two to three meaningful activities in an essay. Tallying up a lengthy listing of AP credits should be discouraged in favor of more sustained effort in areas of genuine interest.

Parent tip: Help your teens by encouraging them to find activities, classes and volunteer experiences that are meaningful to them, but that do not create undue stress.

2. Value the different ways students make contributions to their families and communities. Current applications often disadvantage students from less affluent backgrounds who may make important but overlooked contributions, such as working part-time to help support their families or taking care of a family member, leaving them no time for extracurricular activities or community service. Colleges need to clearly communicate the high value they place on family contributions and give ample opportunity for applicants to explain their role. By doing so, the authors hope to redefine achievement in broader terms.

Parent tip: If your teens help to run the household, babysit a younger sibling after school, or make other significant family contributions, make sure they write about it on their applications.

3. Stress the importance of authenticity. At the heart the report is the notion that admissions committees are looking for students who are authentic and honest about their interests and accomplishments. Students are encouraged to find the right college fit by remaining true to themselves, keeping an open mind about their options and examining a broad range of colleges. It should also be made clear that over-coached applications can jeopardize admission. Confidence and integrity are best reflected in the student's own voice.

Parent tip: College admissions officers can sense when an application is not authentic or trumped up. Help teens present themselves in their best light, while still staying true to who they really are.

4. Alleviate Test Pressure. Some colleges have already taken steps to de-emphasize the weight of the SATs and ACTs by making these tests optional. Admissions offices can reduce the pressure surrounding standardized tests by doing this or clearly explaining the test's weight in the admissions process.

Parent tip: Try to discourage students from taking the same standardized test more than twice, as it rarely results in a meaningfully higher score. Remind your children of that.

5. Engage in meaningful community service. The report highlights a common misconception that volunteering for certain high-profile causes or traveling to exotic countries will make an application stand out. It will, but for the wrong reasons: namely that it looks inauthentic.

Parent tip: Help your teens find sustained community service opportunities that extend for a year or more where the student can be fully engaged in something that is important to them and, in turn, have a meaningful impact. Community engagement can take many different forms, from addressing local needs to serving in a soup kitchen to volunteering on a political campaign or making meaningful contributions at home. Look for opportunities where teens can work side by side with the people they are helping, instead of for them, which can sometimes feel patronizing and may not create as rich an experience.

There will be some applicants who will try to game these new recommendations by engaging in community service in which they have no real interest and later writing insincerely about their experience. However, Weissbourd notes, even students who engage in community service with misplaced motivation may have a powerful learning experience. Research shows that for many students service activities are an opportunity for maturity and growth, even when they are mandatory or driven by the college application process.
Lisa Heffernan writes about parenting during the high school and college years at Grown and Flown. You can follow her on Twitter and Grown and Flown on Facebook. Jennifer Wallace is a freelance writer based in New York, where she lives with her husband and their three children. Twitter: @wallacejennieb. Join On Parenting on Facebook for more essays, news and advice. You can sign up here for our e-newsletter and can find us at washingtonpost.com/onparenting. You might also be interested in: Not just high schoolers: My middle-school students are feeling the pressure to succeed Want to help kids to succeed in college? Let them take a gap year. How the refugee crisis is an opportunity for parents to teach kids about kindness

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To get into college, Harvard report advocates for kindness instead of overachieving

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As your oldest child begins to fill out her college application, it is hard not to feel a rising panic. For the last four years she has thrown herself into her school work, taken AP classes, studied for the SAT, worked on the school paper, played on the field hockey team and tutored elementary school children.

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Wonder Trailer #2 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers

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Wonder Trailer #2 (2017): Check out the new trailer starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay! Be the first to watch, comment, and share trailers and movie teasers/clips dropping soon @MovieclipsTrailers.

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Mix It Up at Lunch Day is an international campaign that encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries. Schools can register to host a Mix It Up event on any day of the year!

Students consistently identify the cafeteria as a place in their school where divisions are clearly-and harshly-drawn. So we ask students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch. It's a simple act with profound implications that we encourage educators to include in year-round efforts to promote healthy, welcoming school environments. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can fall away.

What Is Mix? | Adults What Is Mix? | Kids

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Mix It Up at Lunch Day is an international campaign that encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries. Schools can register to host a Mix It Up event on any day of the year! Students consistently identify the cafeteria as a place in their school where divisions are clearly-and harshly-drawn.

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Michigan Football Team Embraces Special Player

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"The prime minister is looking forward to discussing the success of Canada's immigration and refugee policies with the president when they next speak," Mr. Ahmad said.

Any move by Canada to quickly offer asylum to refugees frozen out of the United States would certainly pose logistical problems. And it seems unlikely that the government would put such refugees ahead of a long line of claimants who have already been told they will be allowed into Canada.

Mr. Trump's executive order is not only at odds with Mr. Trudeau's policies, but it also does not reflect the general sentiment in Canada, where the Syrian refugee program enjoys widespread support. About 16,000 Syrian refugees who have arrived since November have been wholly or partly sponsored by individual Canadians or groups that have come together to raise sponsorship funds. During Mr. Trudeau's current cross-country tour, the chief complaint about immigration has been that refugees are not arriving as quickly as would-be sponsors would like.

As a result, Mr. Trudeau's social media posts may have been primarily aimed at a Canadian audience. He has been taken to task by some Canadians on social media and during his road show for not strongly attacking Mr. Trump's past remarks on women and his policies, both proposed or already implemented, that conflict with Mr. Trudeau's political agenda.

But Mr. Trudeau, like his predecessors' dealings with other presidents before him, has been careful not to criticize Mr. Trump or his administration. He offers instead only pat answers about the importance of Canada's relationship to the United States and his government's desire to have a constructive relationship with the American administration. While attacking the president might be popular among Mr. Trudeau's supporters, the government believes it could have harmful and unproductive consequences.

Two members of Mr. Trudeau's cabinet came to Canada as refugees and were born in the predominately Muslim countries now targeted in Mr. Trump's executive order. They include Ahmed Hussen, the immigration minister, who was born in Somalia.

The immediate effect of the executive order within Canada was muted. Major Canadian airlines are not allowing people holding citizenship from the seven countries covered by the presidential action to board flights to the United States. But WestJet, a major carrier with several flights to America, said that by Saturday afternoon it had turned away only one passenger.

It is unknown, however, how many people tried to enter the United States by automobile, only to be turned away, or who simply abandoned such travel plans.

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In Canada, Justin Trudeau Says Refugees Are Welcome

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"The prime minister is looking forward to discussing the success of Canada's immigration and refugee policies with the president when they next speak," Mr. Ahmad said.

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VALLEY PARK, Mo. - Teachers in the Parkway School District spent the day before the official start of the school year spreading kindness and compassion.

On Tuesday, more than 80 educators from Hanna Woods School broke up into groups and went out into the community performing random acts of kindness. One group dropped off food at the Circle of Concern Food Pantry in Valley Park while some volunteered sorting cans of food.

The day of giving is something they will share with students on the first day of class.

"The message is: let's care about each other," said Dr. Debbie Reid, assistant principal at Hanna Woods. "We care about everything we do. We show kindness in everything we do."

The end of the last school year was marred by a traumatic bus wreck. The community rallied around the school at the time and now the teachers are returning those good feellings.

"We think it's a great thing to lead by example for our students," said Elize Meyer, fifth-grade teacher. "So it's important that us as adults that we're doing things in the community."

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Local grade school teachers perform random acts of kindness

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VALLEY PARK, Mo. - Teachers in the Parkway School District spent the day before the official start of the school year spreading kindness and compassion. On Tuesday, more than 80 educators from Hanna Woods School broke up into groups and went out into the community performing random acts of kindness.

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Uploaded by randomactsofkindness on 2016-10-05.

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life vest inside (nonprofit organization)

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The Science of Kindness (Life Vest Inside)

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Science of Kindness: Kindness! A Healthier, Happier Choice! Did you know that engaging in ACTS OF KINDNESS is proven to boost serotonin? Serotonin heals your wounds, calms you down and makes you HAPPY! Start your very own Kindness Boomerang with LVI's Act of Kindness cards!

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Educator Orly Wahba integrates ideas of kindness, love and respect into the hearts and minds of her students, both inside and outside the classroom. [Note: We want you to see these talks exactly as they happened! The archive footage might be a little rougher than the usual TED.com talk.]

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Wonder (2017 Movie) Official Trailer – #ChooseKind – Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson