25 Random Acts of Kindness (with Free Printable)

A Saturday morning from six years ago stands out in my memory. It is rare for a single day to do that, especially the older I get. (I wouldn’t be able to tell you what I did the last three Saturdays in a row.)

That morning, my husband and our three kids headed to a home not too far away to do some yard work.

That year, the theme of our church was “Love your neighbor” and each month there was a service project of some kind. That month, it was gardening and yard work for an older couple who also attended the church.

The woman loved her garden and spent a lot of time in it. She had also recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer and wouldn’t have the time to get her front and back yard in shape before starting chemotherapy.

So, my family and a few others from the church showed up one Saturday morning and she put us to work. We pulled weeds. We mowed the lawn. We helped clean out a shed. And we planted a couple of saplings in her front yard. I remember kneeling down, hands in the soil, putting a small tree into place.

“I’ll be able to look out on that from my window,” she said, “when I’m not well enough to get out among the flowers.”

She passed away within the year and I have not since been by her house. I have not seen whether the saplings rooted down and found life beneath the earth.

But I remember that day, working alongside my children and others, setting our hands to do something for others.

It’s not hard to do random acts of kindness. Much of it is just going about with open eyes, seeing and thinking about what this person might need, what might bring a smile to that person’s face … and then doing it.

And doing random acts of kindness with our kids? That’s exponentially more special. Young kids get excited about the thought of doing something for someone else. They know how much they love receiving gifts and favors, and it thrills them that as young as they are, they can do the same for someone else.

Even teenagers, as cool as they might play it most of the time, understand the value of acts of kindness. And these acts are contagious, too! Once they get started, they don’t want to stop!

The 25 random acts of kindness suggested below are things you can easily do, most of which don’t cost a cent, and many of which you can rope your kids in on.

And here’s the printable you can download and print out.

25 Random Acts of Kindness

1. At the grocery line, let someone go in front of you who only has a few items.
2. Buy a plant and place it in a pot for a friend.
3. Buy coffee for the person behind you in line at the local coffee shop.
4. Compliment another parent on how well-behaved their child is.
5. Compliment the first person you talk to today.
6. Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.
7. Find opportunities to give compliments to people you know.
8. Learn the names of people you interact with regularly—neighbors, service workers, the local barista—and greet them by name. Greet strangers and smile.
9. Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier.
10. Leave a server the biggest tip you can afford.
11. Leave quarters at the laundromat.
12. Offer to babysit (or kid-sit) for parents you know who could use a night out.
13. Offer up free things on Craigslist, OfferUp, or local Freecycle groups.
14. Pick up any litter on your street and put it in the trash.
15. Place a “positive body image” note in jean pockets at a department store.
16. Plan a clean-up party at a beach or park.
17. Post inspirational sticky notes around your neighborhood or at a park.
18. Purchase extra dog or cat food and take it to an animal shelter.
19. Run an errand for a family member who is busy.
20. Send a kind or positive text message to five different people right now.
21. Surprise a neighbor with freshly baked cookies or treats!
22. Take flowers or treats to the nurses’ station at your nearest hospital.
23. Take muffins or cookies to your local librarians.
24. Write a kind message on your mirror with a dry-erase marker for your children.
25. Write a thank-you note to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.

This list was adapted from randomactsofkindness.org

Featured image photo by Faith Giant

Setting Healthy Family Goals in 2023

We’re already several days into the New Year!

Seriously, how did that happen?

I don’t know about you, but I think I spent a little more time than usual trying to come up with some new year’s goals and resolutions for 2023.

(After the last few years, you need all the resolve you can get, right?)

On the last day of every year (or the first day of the new year), our family gathers in the evening to share things we’re thankful for about the year that is ending, as well as our personal goals and resolutions for the upcoming year.

This year was no different, and I always love to hear my kids talk about what their highlights were.

When they were younger, it was often centered on gifts they’d just gotten for Christmas, but they also remember things I’d forgotten, like trips we’d taken or activities we’d done as a family.

It always makes me eager to try to fit in more of those times.

To find ways to embrace and encourage healthy living as a family.

And I wanted to share a few of those ideas here.

It’s not like I’ve made specific resolutions about each of these, but I am trying to create more space in my days and have more of a focus on healthy living, not just as an individual but as a family also.

1. Make More Family Meals from “Scratch”

Chili con Carne

I got a bit of a head start in this kind of lifestyle during my years in India.

When I wanted to make spaghetti, for instance, I didn’t buy a can of tomato sauce or ready-made Prego from a jar.

I boiled tomatoes, peeled them, and blended them, then boiled the sauce with spices.

In other words, meal making was a process that usually started with the food in its most organic, natural form.

This isn’t to say that I don’t ever use sauce from a jar. I always have canned tomato sauce on hand for when I don’t have a lot of time to cook.

Vegetable Korma Curry

But I do love how much richer flavors can be when I take the time to source basic ingredients.

(And they really don’t have to be the organic variety that costs three times more in a grocery store in order for the meal to be healthy.)

On the side are photos of a couple of meals I’ve made so far this year: chili con carne and vegetable cream curry.

Bonus “healthy family” tips:

• Have one of your kids help you with meal prep for some one-on-one time
• Eat together as a family when you can
• Keep media devices away from the table

2. Make Exercise Fun (and a Family Activity)

So, I feel silly admitting this, but I got our family one of those little “exercise” trampolines for the new year.

I’ve been way more sedentary this past year than I should have been, and although I don’t have a particular weight-loss goal, I do have the goal to fit in more active moments in the upcoming year.

Greek tree strawberries

I was excited about the trampoline and envisioned my kids fighting over who got to use it first … but my kids didn’t exactly share my enthusiasm.

But they were thrilled about the idea of fixing up their bikes and going for a bike ride together as a family.

So that’s exactly what we did on Sunday.

We took an hour-long bike ride, which isn’t much … (but it’s a start for someone like me, who was winded in the first 15 minutes).

We also took a route we’d never traveled before and discovered a line of Greek strawberry trees and a gorgeous sidewalk of autumn leaves.

3. Make Screen Time a Family (Rather than Solitary) Thing

When I was growing up, anything I watched, my whole family watched.

We didn’t really have a lot of options in that area, as there was only one television.

Today, our household has … well, a lot more. Between television screens, computer screens, and phone screens, there is the potential for lots of screen time.

And as my kids grow older, they have diverse interests, so it’s hard to get everyone to come together to watch something as a family.

Still, we try to watch something together every other Friday (even if it’s a single episode of The Mandalorian).

Stove-popped popcorn is the requisite snack on such nights.

More recently, I’ve also been watching videos with just one of my kids, as per their particular interests.

My daughter and I enjoy a show, and we’ve been slowly going through the seasons. We don’t allow ourselves to “binge” by never watching more than two episodes at a time.

My boys like watching certain YouTube channels.

While that’s never been my thing, I’ll sometimes sit down and watch a Shadiversity or Dude Perfect or Hermitcraft with one of them just to see what they’re into.

(And it is a learning experience for me as well. I mean, who knew whole cities could be built on Minecraft?)

Closing Thoughts

These ideas are, of course, just a start.

And while I would have added something about reading together as a family, I’ve already posted about that a few times recently (and will probably post more about it again soon).

In any case, it’s sometimes easier to start off the new year when you haven’t made a huge number of goals and resolutions.

Even just setting one or two specific and concrete goals can make all the difference in healthy living as a family in the new year.

Oh, and happy New Year to you!

May it be a blessed one.

Activities To Do with Kids Stuck at Home during Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)

Many communities have chosen to take proactive measures to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic, and hundreds of schools across the nation will be closed for the next few weeks. The question many parents have now is, “What are we supposed to do with our kids during the coronavirus pandemic?”

Here are a few practical suggestions of things you can do with your children as your family practices social isolation to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19.

1. Go On a Few Virtual Museum Tours

Hundreds of museums worldwide are offering virtual tours, which you can access through Google Arts and Culture. These include art museums, national galleries, and photo images. Their virtual tours are ideal for kids stuck at home and bored due to the COVID-19 precautions.

If your child has an interest in art, they can check out amazing art forms from other cultures, such as Chinese Shadow Puppetry or explore historical art forms including modern art, cubism, post-impressionism, canvas painting, etc.

If they like exploring historical sites, they can “virtually visit” a number of places in India and learn lots about culture and history, or take a virtual visit to the ruins of Pompeii.

2. Plant a Vegetable Garden

It’s nearly spring, and growing things are starting to, well, spring up. Why not make the most of it? Whether you have a lot of space in your yard or a few sunny windowsills, you can grow something with your kids.

A few easy plants to start with include green beans and peas, zucchini, carrots and potatoes, and tomatoes. Some need more space, more or less sunshine, and varying amounts of water, so do your homework before getting started. You can even find apps for vegetable gardening to help make it easier.

If you don’t have a lot of space, perhaps start with an herb garden. Hopefully, by the time the coronavirus pandemic blows over, you’ll find your family has taken positive steps toward being self-sustaining as a household.

3. Get into Coloring (Again)

You might have been one of those kids (like me) who loved coloring, first with crayons, then color pencils. I still have strangely nostalgic memories of certain coloring books – one in particular of teddy bears in different seasons.

The popularity of adult coloring books is on the rise, as they are known to offer stress-relieving benefits. The same goes for children. In other words, this is an activity you can do together with your children.

A few great adult coloring books include Be Blessed! Adult Coloring Book, 100 Amazing Patterns, and “Be Still”.

4. Take on a Home Improvement Project

Remember that bedroom you’ve been wanting to paint forever or the bookshelves you need to organize? Now might be a good time. Of course, the ages of your children will have a bearing on what project you choose to tackle.

If nothing else, as long as you are all healthy, you can probably pull off a decent spring cleaning together.

5. Educate Your Family about the Coronavirus

Students Working in a Computer Lab — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

This might be stating the obvious, but take the time to learn the facts about COVID-19 and the coronavirus. This means check out official websites that provide accurate information. Yes, you can laugh about and share memes, but don’t depend on them for your understanding of the novel coronavirus.

Nations and states within nations, for the most part, have websites that offer up-to-date information about the effects of the virus in that area. Stay informed by tracking the latest COVID-19 updates in your city and state.

A website that offers frequent overall updates on the coronavirus is Pharmaceutical Technology’s page on the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

The Kids’ Health website also provides a good amount of information on their page, “Understanding Coronavirus,” including an article specifically for kids: “Coronavirus: What Kids Can Do.”

6. Keep Your Children Learning

Thankfully, it looks like plenty of free educational resources are popping up all over the place. For instance, Scholastic has released a Learn at Home resource on its website, with daily projects geared for different grade levels.

The editors of Scholastic Magazine make this statement:

Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin!  

Closing Thoughts

I hope these few ideas help you to transform these uncertain days into a positive time for your children. If your kids are anything like mine, they’re probably looking at things they’ll be missing. They might be feeling disoriented and disappointed. It’s our responsibility to guide them through this time.

Hopefully, looking back on the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, your kids won’t just remember it as the time that people bought out all the toilet paper and hand sanitizer, but as the time their family grew closer together and learned plenty in spite of schools being closed and events getting canceled.

Be blessed and stay safe as a family.

Five Ways to Keep Your Child Learning This Summer

So, it’s summertime. If your children are anything like mine, they had it up to the tops of their brains with learning over the school year. But if you are anything like me, you want to make the most of your summer and help your child learn throughout the season. You want to see them excel, and that means helping them make the most of their time even on those long summer days. Of course, you’ll let your kids sleep in and have days off. You’ll enjoy seeing them sitting on the couch and reading for hours or pulling out a plethora of Legos and building something from the tile floor up. Because that’s all part of learning too.

But are there more ways you can keep your child learning this summer without making them think they’re having “school” time?

Here are 5 ways to keep your child learning this summer

1. Teach them a board game.

This will likely depend on your child’s age, but one good choice for children is. Who knows, your child may grow into the next grand master. If not, there are still numerous things they can learn through the game of chess. Some chess proponents suggest teaching your child the game even before they start school, as it teaches them a variety of skills. “Chess teaches children many fundamentals, like problem solving, focus, patience and follow through,” advocate Laura Sherman and Bill Kilpatrick. These writers also mention that studies show chess helps children improve in not only problem solving and patience but also actual scholastic skills. Test scores in math, reading, and science see an increase. Who knew?

Of course, you could choose board games other than chess. Games that help teach your child various educational skills include Boggle, Scrabble, and Scattergories – for English, or Battleship and Monopoly– for strategy.

2. Invite them into the kitchen.

Whether you have a boy or girl, kitchen skills are vital to learn. I’m thankful that someone(s) along the way taught my husband to cook, because he is more adept in the kitchen than I am. I usually make our day-to-day meals, but whenever we have guests over, he’s the one who will whip up a fabulous dish of Indian butter chicken or tandoori on the grill.

Getting your kids to help in the kitchen can teach them valuable lifelong skills. Not only will they be able to make themselves something other than Raman or French toast when they go away to university, but cooking in the kitchen can help them improve in math and more. For instance, if you double a cookie recipe, let your child do the math and figure out exactly how much flour you need if the original recipe calls for one-and-a-quarter cups. Or let him decide what to do if you want to cut the recipe in half and it calls for one egg? Do you put in half an egg? Such problem solving can help your child as they go through not just the kitchen, but life is well.

Of course, the fun part is at the end they have a great meal to share with the family or a batch of cookies to enjoy and perhaps give to a neighbor or an elderly friend.

3. Visit the library.

Libraries have books. Enough said.

But really, libraries have so much more. Often during the summer, a city library will provide activities that encourage learning. In the Fresno County, our library system offers a variety of summer activities, including a man who visits libraries with boxes and cages full of various of reptiles; he teaches children about reptiles and even lets them hold or pet some of them. There are also craft activities offered, many of which are divided between children and teens. So, there’s something for everyone.

Even if your library does not offer these types of summer activities, taking your child to the library provides them the chance to pick out books that cater to their interests. In my case, one of my children love middle-grade novels and will inhale half a dozen books in one day if given the chance. One of my children loves science and books about vehicles (and pretty much any book that includes pictures provides interesting information). Another of my children enjoys building things and loves books about how things work, including Legos and how cartoons are made. We always take a large, strong bag into the library with us because we rarely leave with fewer than twenty books.

4. Encourage their unique interests.

Does your child love to draw? Or music? Or writing? Perhaps during the school year, amidst homework and assignments and extracurricular activities, your child doesn’t get a chance to really do much that fuels their passion. So, let that fuel and passion run wild during the summer! If they like to draw, make sure they have access to art books and sketch pads and sharp pencils and colored pencils. Perhaps you can pick up some books from the library on how to draw or find a couple interesting how-to-draw videos online.

The same goes for the interest of writing. These days you can find books for children on those topics, or look up little educational how-to’s on YouTube. Maybe you can schedule an afternoon or two each week where you are make time for these unique skills. Your whole family can practice together, or it can be a one-on-one activity with you and the child who has that interest.

5. Let them help plan a trip.

This could be a day trip or an overnight camping excursion, or even a longer trip, but let your child be involved in every aspect of planning it. Let them make a list of the foods you need to take, and even join you in shopping for that trip. Let them brainstorm with you what practical things you need to pack, depending on the weather and what amenities are available where you’ll be going.

A camping trip in a tent, or a cabin in the woods is a great opportunity for your child to think about what is really needed to survive a few days “out in the wild.” How much food does your family need? What about activities to keep you busy? Don’t forget the sunscreen and hats if you’re going to be in a place where there’s a lot of sunshine. Preparing for a trip is great fun in itself, but having them help you prepare for every aspect of it also teaches them valuable life skills.

 

Closing Thoughts

The possibilities really are endless as far as ways you can help your child continue to learn even during the summer vacation. All you need is an attitude of loving to learn yourself, as well as loving to teach. You don’t need to have all the skills you are trying to encourage in your child. My son is far beyond me in art (as I’m still in the stick-figure-drawing stage), but that doesn’t mean I can’t encourage him to one day become an illustrator or graphic designer. Or wherever his passion may lead him.

Provide opportunities for your children to learn this summer, and you never know where it may lead them in the future.

 

Sources/Additional Reading:

https://www.parents.com/kids/education/elementary-school/13-sneaky-ways-to-keep-your-kids-learning-this-summer-straight-from/

https://www.ichess.net/blog/teach-your-children-chess-before-they-start-school/

Photo: “Cake Heaven” – Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Khan Academy – A Great Learning Resource!

If you’re like me, you’ve found that nearly the whole summer break has passed, and you pretty much forgot about any plans you made to help your kids keep up with the new skills they learned during their past school year. Between summer trips, camps, VBS, sleepovers, library trips, and finding a way to keep out of the heat, homework and study time was left far behind.

My husband mentioned to me a website that a friend of ours recommended, Khan Academy, especially for helping kids obtain or keep remedial math skills. I signed up through my Facebook, just to check it out … and was hugely impressed! First of all, it’s free. And I was able to create an account for each of my kids. They chose their user name, and chose a math “mission” for their respective grade level, which leads them through quizzes and questions that takes them through a well-rounded series of lessons. If there is anything they don’t understand, they can click on a short tutorial video to teach them that particular skill.

When they complete a certain number of minutes or lessons in math, I let them click on one of the other areas. (Computer animation is a favorite for all of them. It’s a series of videos, which show how math, geometry, and similar skills can be used in real life … and fun stuff like creating Pixar animation!)

At the end of the week, I received an email that told me what my kids had been up to on their missions at Khan Academy. At a glance, I could see how many minutes they had spent on the website, how many points they had gained, and how many minutes and questions for each area (such as “rational number word problems” or “multiply two-digit numbers”).

With just a few weeks before school begins, Khan Academy is a great way to help kids recall math skills they might have forgotten over the summer, and give them a head start in learning new concepts. And have fun all the while!

My 11-year-old daughter, Jessica commented, “It’s really fun. While doing homework, you can also build up your avatar and score more points. Plus math isn’t the only thing to do there. There are a bunch of other subjects. My favorite is computer art with Pixar.”

My nine-year-old son, Allen, said, “I like the math and I also like the avatar thing. And one of the things I especially like is the computer art and that I get to watch things on the website.”

Eleven Alternatives to “Pokemon Go” … Stimulate Your Child’s Summer

Child taking a photo at a museum.

Maybe you have time limits to your kids’ screen time and all you hear is, “But Mom (or Dad), there’s nothing ELSE to do!”

Maybe you don’t want your seven-year-old running across space, dodging vehicles, and landing in a canal or reservoir on their mad dash for Pokémon Go characters.

Maybe you don’t allow video games in your household.

Maybe your conspiracy radar is going off like a beacon because if Pokémon Go has really been downloaded that many million times and created such an interest … there must be something funny going on and you don’t want your children to be a part of that.

Maybe you just want to do better with the whole parenting thing this summer and seeing your kids with their faces buried in smart phones or tablets doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies.

Here are eleven activities you can do with your children to escape summer blues … and avoid chasing Pikachus.

1. Make cards for friends and relatives … and send them snail mail.

How many relatives, especially elderly ones, can you think of who would love to receive a homemade card in their mailbox?

2. Read a Shakespeare play, or some of his sonnets, aloud and perfect your British accent.

Or Irish accent. Or Western or Southern. You can even memorize a sonnet together and have an accent competition.

3. Make a list of original photos for your child to take.

You could also have a family (or pet) photo shoot with your child as the photographer.

Or a photo scavenger hunt.

4. Write and illustrate a story together.

Let your child run free with imagination and help out in places where he or she gets stuck. You might be surprised with what even the youngest children can come up with.

5. Learn fruit cutting or flower arranging.

You will find plenty of YouTube tutorials to help you get started, and create some great treats or gifts for family or friends.

6. Make chocolate.

Anything goes: bacon chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, orange mint chocolate, cinnamon chocolate.

7. Have a bake sale.

Or a homemade chocolate sale … and raise funds for a favorite organization or ministry.

8. Create a time capsule.

Decide together on what date in the future you will open it.

9. Put together a summertime scrapbook or journal.

Add something to it every day.

10. Create a long-term “bucket list”.

You might or might not have heard of John Goddard. He made a life goal list at 15 years of age, and accomplished over 100 of them. Encourage your children to do the same (and if you don’t have a life goal list, make one yourself!)

11. Start a blog together on a theme you and your child enjoy. 

My 11-year-old daughter loves reading, as do I. This summer, we launched a book review blog, Jewel Rose Reviews, where we hope to publish a review once a week on a book we’ve both read. That way, readers get input from two perspectives: mother and daughter, and Jessica and I get to read, write, and take photos together. All fun stuff!

 

So there it is. Some ideas to keep you and your kids busy this summer, whether or not you’re playing Pokémon Go. And if you have any tried-and-proven family activities you would like to share with other readers, please leave a comment!

On the Farm “I Spy”

Can you spy 15 sheep among this equipment on the farm?

Art and concept by Aiden, 6 years old.

Please leave a comment if you’ve found all the sheep (or even if you didn’t). Aiden would be thrilled to hear from you.

The Rocking Chair Project

Rocking chair before fixing it up

It wasn’t really my idea.

It was my mom’s idea.

Well, it was her chair, actually.

It had been sitting in her backyard for years, probably serving as a perch for some of her plants.

But she was moving it on, and asked if I wanted it before she placed it on freecycle.

Of course I did! I pictured sanding it down and letting my husband varnish it and do the finishing touches.

Then I had a second thought.

What about turning it into a summer project with my daughter?

I knew she’d be more than happy to help.

And she was.

She claimed the seating area as hers to work on.

Sanding in the sun

I showed her how to sand it down as we spent a couple sessions sanding.

Then I showed her that steel wool is similar to sandpaper, in that you still have to follow the grain of the wood as you smooth it down.

The wood burning was my mom’s idea too, and, as Jessica couldn’t help with that part, she had a blast taking pictures of me as I worked on it.

Her favorite part was “painting” the chair with shellac.

After it dried, we smoothed it down one last time with steel wool and brushed it with a second coat.

We presented it to my husband upon his return and she cheerfully informed her dad that she had done part of it “all by herself.”

Painting the rocking chair

I knew that letting her help with it had been the right decision.

I asked her, a few days later, if she learned anything interesting from the project. “Make sure you know which way the wind is blowing before you start to sand.”

Hey, you never know when information like that might come in handy.

The finished product on our balcony

Choose Togetherness

Lasting Impressions