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Everything starts with kindness
We have been focusing and working towards ‘Kindness’ as our leading value this month. This was a time when we had a lot of new children joining us and a few others transitioning to school. Looking at the changes and ways to cope with it that involved challenges like making new friendship bonds, getting used to our rules and routines, building positive relationships and ensuring everybody’s hauora( health and well being) we thought ‘Kindness’ and ‘Aroha’ could be the values that guide us.
At BestStart Meadowbank, our tamariki are thrilled to be leaders in helping and guiding others. Some of them offered to be buddies for the new children and helped them familiarize with the routines and environment. They also offer to involve others in their play and work together. Some of the chores like tidying up the room, washing and folding, cleaning resources and helping the cook by carrying the shopping bags has been taken up by our proud tamariki.
The older children help the younger ones by their small acts of kindness like feeding them, looking after them in the big playground and occasionally going in their room to help the Under twos teachers with their routines and clean up. We also organised a ‘random act of Kindness day’ when we made lemonade and served the teachers, other adults and whanau.
By talking to the children about kindness, showing ways and encouraging and appreciating those little acts of kindness, we are enabling our tamariki learn what it is like to put the needs of others before their own. Kindness helps them understand how they can feel empathy towards others and provide help when others are in need. Teaching children how to be kind and perform acts of kindness also helps them enhance their manakitanga (care, kindness and respect for others and for self), feel a strong sense of belonging and improve their self esteem.