Studies show children are happier when they are more than just receivers of kindness. We escalate their feelings of happiness, improve their well-being, reduce bullying, enrich their friendships, and build peace by teaching them to be givers of kindness. As children learn to be givers at home, we at Haytown aid in shaping their values and provide opportunities to develop kindness, a virtue that will benefit them the rest of their lives.

We call this initiative Kindness Counts. Our purpose is to help children become more aware of doing acts of kindness by engaging them in simple ways to serve and give meaning to their actions by reflecting, and then sharing, their positive feelings that came from serving.

Each month Haytown focuses on a theme helps and encourages each child, and their families, to do small acts of kindness. After doing an act of kindness, the child can tell their teachers and add a pompom to their class’s jar of kindness. The intent is to encourage participation and incentivize them to continue to find small and simple ways to serve.

Service doesn’t have to be big and grandiose to be meaningful and make a difference. It is our hope that finding small ways to serve and teaches children to be givers of kindness, and it will enrich their lives and better our community.