Heart Culture: Where Kindness Begins!
Early childhood is a crucial time for shaping our children's future. It's not just about academic success but also about cultivating essential qualities like empathy and kindness. These qualities lay the foundation for a happier and more fulfilling life. Kindness, which involves generosity and consideration for others, and empathy, the ability to understand and respond to others' emotions, are vital for creating a compassionate and connected world.
Research shows that self-regulatory abilities, such as managing emotions and behaviour, play a significant role in people's lives. Unfortunately, these skills are rarely explicitly taught in schools. However, studies have demonstrated that children who are taught and practice kindness in their early years show greater social competence, improved learning outcomes, and enhanced socio-emotional development.
Encouraging children to be empathetic and kind starts at home. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is crucial to nurture empathy in children to create a better world for everyone. The first step is helping children learn to understand and regulate their own emotions, as empathy grows organically over time. It's essential for children to observe and experience empathy themselves before they can extend it to others. By creating an environment that values empathy and encourages reflection, we can guide children to consciously practice empathy towards all living beings.
At Dibber, our "Heart Culture" lies at the heart of everything we do. It means treating everyone, including teachers, staff, and children, with kindness and empathy. We prioritize the advancement and holistic growth of each child, employing play-based techniques to make learning enjoyable and promote cognitive, emotional, and intellectual development.
Through our Heart Culture, we aim to foster a sense of unity in children, helping them appreciate and celebrate differences as unique and valuable. We want children to love and care for all living beings, without hesitation or discrimination. When children witness these qualities modelled in their learning environment, they find it easier to reciprocate and embrace them. Our goal at Dibber is to ensure that every child feels seen, valued, and heard. We want them to recognize their significance within the community, building confidence and igniting a desire to make a positive difference in the world around them.
Join us in creating a Heart Culture, where kindness thrives, empathy flourishes, and children grow into compassionate individuals who shape a brighter future.
References:
Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., & Davidson, R. J. (2015). Promoting prosocial behaviour and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 44–51.
Connecting Children to Kindness: Encouraging a Culture of Empathy - Marie L. Masterson & Katharine C. Kersey | Pages 211-216.
Infant Behavior and Development (Volume 34, Issue 3, June 2011, Pages 447-458) – Ronit Roth-Hananiaa, Maayan Davidov, Carolyn Zahn-Waxler.
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