Raising Kind Kids: Insights from a Kindness Ambassador
Teresa Ramirez is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and kindness ambassador for loving parents who want to raise kind children. Today’s parents can see how some troubled teens are turning to devastating acts of violence because they see no other way. Consequently, parents want to ensure they do everything possible to raise healthy, happy, kind children.
This podcast episode explores the profound impact of kindness and offers practical strategies for parents to foster a culture of compassion within their families. The guest, a kindness ambassador, shares their journey inspired by a school shooting and emphasizes the importance of intentionally teaching children kindness. They highlight the ripple effect of kindness, illustrating how one small act can uplift not only the giver and receiver but also those who witness it. The conversation delves into the significance of parental influence, encouraging listeners to reflect on their actions and the values they instill in their children. With actionable tips and inspiring anecdotes, this episode serves as a reminder that kindness can truly change the world, one family at a time.
A powerful testament to the importance of kindness emerges from a captivating exchange between the host and guest. The episode centers around the guest's mission to promote kindness, inspired by a personal tragedy that underscored the urgent need for compassion in our communities. The guest shares their philosophy that kindness is not just an act but a lifestyle, one that can be cultivated through intentionality and practice. They highlight that kindness is free and accessible to everyone, serving as a tool for connection and healing in an increasingly fragmented world.
Throughout the discussion, Teresa Ramirez offers practical strategies for nurturing family kindness. They provide insights on how parents can model compassionate behavior for their children, emphasizing the significance of leading by example. Teresa shares anecdotes of how even small gestures—like sharing a smile or a supportive note—can impact someone's day. Additionally, they discuss the scientific benefits of kindness, referencing studies that demonstrate how compassionate actions can enhance mental well-being for both the giver and receiver. The conversation culminates in a call to action, inviting listeners to embrace kindness as a daily practice and explore the ripple effects it can create in their lives and communities. This episode serves as a heartfelt reminder that every act of kindness contributes to a broader culture of empathy and understanding, encouraging listeners to play their part in transforming the world around them.
Takeaways:
- Kindness does not require significant effort; it can be as simple as a smile.
- Parents must be the role models for their children regarding kindness and empathy.
- Engaging in acts of kindness can have a ripple effect on those around us.
- To understand their feelings, it is essential to check in with children about their daily experiences.
- Research shows that practicing kindness can improve mental well-being for both the giver and the receiver.
- Creating fun moments with children can involve simple activities that promote kindness and connection.
Transcript
Well, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker A:How are you doing today?
Speaker B:I'm wonderful.
Speaker B:Thank you for having me.
Speaker A:It's a pleasure to have you here.
Speaker A:I'm going to ask you my favorite question.
Speaker A:Ask all my guests.
Speaker A:What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Speaker B:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker B:Well, I think I've got a couple.
Speaker B:One of them was from my parents years ago, and they just said, you know what?
Speaker B:It doesn't cost anything to be kind.
Speaker B:It doesn't take any effort to just turn around and pay attention to somebody that didn't cost anything.
Speaker B:And then the other one that I keep receiving since I started my project is just do it.
Speaker B:Don't overthink it.
Speaker B:Just do it.
Speaker B:Jump in.
Speaker A:I think that was a sneaker ad too, if I remember.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:That's so cool.
Speaker A:I'm always curious of people like yourself, who are some people in your life who serve as an inspiration for you?
Speaker B:Oh, my gosh, there's so many people.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I'll use my latest inspiration because of my journey in kindness.
Speaker B:It has to be Dr.
Speaker B:David Hamilton, and he is a doctor of pharmaceuticals.
Speaker B:And he's done a lot of studies on how your body changes in the positive way due to doing sincere acts of kindness.
Speaker B:It lowers blood pressure, lowers anxiety, lowers stress, and he has all the scientific data to back that up.
Speaker B:But I just, I watch him whenever I get discouraged.
Speaker B:I say, no, this is, this is good.
Speaker B:This is good.
Speaker B:It's helping people more beyond what they even know.
Speaker A:I love that and what your project is.
Speaker A:So I think important, especially for the times.
Speaker A:So could you share a little bit about your journey of what inspired you to become a kindness ambassador?
Speaker B:What inspired me?
Speaker B:God, put this on my heart, I will tell you that.
Speaker B: oting down in Florida back in: Speaker B:And I was just told, write this letter.
Speaker B:Dear students, grieve with them, sit, sympathize with them and but then remind them there is things they can do.
Speaker B:They can sit with that kid that always sits alone at lunch.
Speaker B:If somebody is always alone, walking in the hall, say, hey, I'll walk with you to your next class.
Speaker B:If they, if you know, in school, if you remember, you know you're always dropping something, books, pencils, whatever it might be you're always dropping, help them, pick them up.
Speaker B:Don't just stand there and laugh.
Speaker B:And from there then it was like, okay, what do I do?
Speaker B:I don't know what to do with this.
Speaker B:So I set it aside and about a year later, I picked it Back up and decided to do a 21 day kindness challenge on Facebook.
Speaker B:And I based it on what a child, what a kid sees during their day.
Speaker B:So the first people they see is mom and dad.
Speaker B:They're brothers and sisters, so how can you be nice to them?
Speaker B:And that was like day, day one and day two was the bus driver, the carpool driver, and just whoever they encountered.
Speaker B:So I did that for 21 days and got some speaking engagements from that, went to a few schools.
Speaker B:It was wonderful.
Speaker B:I was having, I love this.
Speaker B:This is like the greatest thing ever.
Speaker B:So I was having a great time.
Speaker B:And then Covid hit what happened.
Speaker B:We all got in front of the computer and on social.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:You know.
Speaker B:But what I found, discovered during that time, I started really reading people's posts and I found adults are just down, out now, cruel.
Speaker B:And I got to thinking, you know, are you kids reading this?
Speaker B:And pulled a couple of the great nieces and nephews.
Speaker B:They said, oh yeah, we want to make sure mom and dad aren't posting about us.
Speaker B:But yeah, we.
Speaker B:Then we end up reading what, what they're posting.
Speaker B:So if mom and dad are posting nasty things, so the kids looking at that saying, well, if they can do it, I can do it.
Speaker B:So I got to thinking, man, I need to talk to the parents.
Speaker B:I need to get to the parents on board with this because I can tell kids all day long to be kind, but if they're going to home to a home environment that is far from that, it's not going to stick, right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So that's how I started saying parents have to be the CEOs.
Speaker B:They've got to step up to the plate and say, okay, I'm going to set the tone for this family.
Speaker B:What do we value?
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:So you wrote a book, Raising Kind Kids.
Speaker A:How did your personal experience shape the content of that book?
Speaker B:Oh my gosh.
Speaker B:You know, I.
Speaker B:I think my kids are now in their 30s and I think I wish I knew then what I know now kind of thing.
Speaker B:I'll parent, you know, if you've got older kids, you think about that all the time.
Speaker B:But I did try to instill to always be kind to, you know, when other kids are pushing and shoving and I say, let him go ahead.
Speaker B:Is that really going to slow you down that much?
Speaker B:That kind of stuff in line.
Speaker B:Saw it in sports all the time.
Speaker B:And so yeah, it's just, I.
Speaker B:So I just.
Speaker B:Since that school shooting, I just started gathering data and doing research and pulling from my own nieces and nephews.
Speaker B:And their kids, what are you doing?
Speaker B:How are you seeing this?
Speaker B:And I started compiling that information just because they're inspiring and I know some of their stories are in the book.
Speaker B:You know the six year old that wants to rake leaves for the sick neighbor.
Speaker B:You know the 20 year old that's changing someone's tire in the pouring down rain so that the person can keep going again and they just happen to be walking by and that there aren't any parents sitting standing over them saying, you've got to do this.
Speaker B:They've learned you've already built the foundation and made kindness as naturals.
Speaker B:Breathing.
Speaker B:Those kind of kids.
Speaker B:I know my own, my own son, I just love this.
Speaker B:He was in his 20s, he worked for a restaurant, but they had a banquet hall and they said, oh, you need to go downtown and work the banquet tonight.
Speaker B:And he said okay.
Speaker B:And he, they, he did such a phenomenal job, they tipped him a significant amount of money.
Speaker B:So he had hundreds of dollars on him.
Speaker B:And someone approached him and said, do you have any spare change?
Speaker B:And he goes, yeah, man, pulls the money and gives him a, you know, gives money to this guy.
Speaker B:He goes, I was blessed tonight, I'm going to bless you.
Speaker B:And I'm thinking, and he's telling me this story and on one hand, oh, that is so great.
Speaker B:I'm so happy you did that.
Speaker B:And the other hand is you are downtown and you did pull down a lot of money.
Speaker B:Are you crazy?
Speaker B:You know, because if it's one in the morning, it was, it wasn't the middle of the day, right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh my word.
Speaker A:I'm curious.
Speaker A:You mentioned you did a lot of research for your book.
Speaker A:As I did research in my book, I always found some things that surprised me.
Speaker A:In your research, what was the most surprising thing you discovered?
Speaker B:How many people are doing studies on kindness?
Speaker B:Really?
Speaker B:I mean, you know, I'm talking, you know, it's not just the universities and there's a lot of universities doing studies, but it's Mayo Clinic, it's Cedars Sinai.
Speaker B:I mean, these are big hospital systems that are doing it.
Speaker B:Psychology Today has written I don't know how many articles on kindness.
Speaker B:So for me that was probably the biggest revelation is people want this.
Speaker B:People are looking for a way to make change in the world.
Speaker B:And it's obvious by the amount of studies, there's just hundreds out there.
Speaker B:You know, I, I know part of my studies, everybody laughs about this one part of my, I watched Patch Adams, who was a doctor, who in back in the 60s, I think, who, who Introduced medicine, joy and happiness and being kind into medicine, and that it really did make people better.
Speaker B:So, yeah, all but the.
Speaker B:I think the biggest surprise was the amount of research out there.
Speaker A:So why do you think that is?
Speaker A:I mean, I.
Speaker A:I have an idea in my own mind that I think our culture has gotten to the point where it's so polarizing.
Speaker A:Is that what you got the sense of, or was there something even deeper?
Speaker B:No, I.
Speaker B:That's what I definitely got the sense of.
Speaker B:There's so much unkindness.
Speaker B:I'll use that word going on in this world.
Speaker B:And people are wanting.
Speaker B:They want to change.
Speaker B:They want things to be better.
Speaker B:How can I change the world?
Speaker B:And my.
Speaker B:Obviously, I.
Speaker B:You can change the world by making kindness as natural as breathing.
Speaker A:I love that you have a concept I want you to dig deeper into that comes in your book.
Speaker A:The idea of CEO of your family.
Speaker A:How does that apply to parenting parents?
Speaker B:You know, through the years, you know, you've gone from helicopter parents to soft parenting to different things, and parents just want to be better.
Speaker B:Parents want happy, healthy, kind, compassionate children.
Speaker B:At the end of the day, most parents, that's what.
Speaker B:When you ask, that's what they want.
Speaker B:And so they were looking for ways to do that.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Totally lost my train of thought about CEO and parenting.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I, So I would.
Speaker B:When I was doing research and just talking to other young parents, they, they.
Speaker B:That's what they said.
Speaker B:So I thought, okay, parents have to step up.
Speaker B:Because I also saw where parents weren't.
Speaker B:They were just letting their kids go.
Speaker B:They didn't really care.
Speaker B:They don't care what they write on social media.
Speaker B:They don't care.
Speaker B:They didn't realize their actions meant anything.
Speaker B:So, okay, so you have to sit down and think, okay, what tone do I want to set?
Speaker B:What values do I want to instill in my children?
Speaker B:And then you have to mirror them.
Speaker B:And it's just like going back to the social media when you're writing and posting nasty things.
Speaker B:Your kids are.
Speaker B:That's the green light for your kids to go, oh, I can do it.
Speaker B:So parents have to realize your kids are watching everything you do.
Speaker B:And they're reading.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And they're reading every post you make.
Speaker B:And, And I, I think parents didn't.
Speaker B:Don't always realize that, you know, they're saying, oh, they're.
Speaker B:They're over on their little game and doing their game.
Speaker B:They're not paying attention to a thing I'm saying or doing, doing.
Speaker B:I'm like, they've heard every word.
Speaker B:Whether you Think they did or not?
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:So as you think about how do we begin to change this culture in our families, what are some key strategies in your book that parents can use to create a lasting impact on their children's behavior and attitudes?
Speaker B:Should start by being kind to your kids.
Speaker B:And I don't mean that.
Speaker B:I'm just saying simple things.
Speaker B:The sticky notes on the bathroom mirror, you're awesome.
Speaker B:You make my day.
Speaker B:Those kind of things.
Speaker B:They've got the big math test.
Speaker B:Everybody stresses about the math test.
Speaker B:So put the note in the backpack.
Speaker B:You got this.
Speaker B:Just those things.
Speaker B:So when you send your child out the door, it's on a high note, and that's going to affect everything that happens to them throughout their day.
Speaker B:And then the other thing I always like to do is at the end of the day now, whether it be over the dinner table, whether it be driving them to every extracurricular activity out there, which we, you know, I remember this show for years.
Speaker B:Not.
Speaker B:But I did get the best conversations when we were in the car driving.
Speaker B:So I encourage parents, check in with your kids.
Speaker B:What's the best thing that happened to them today?
Speaker B:What's their least favorite thing that happened today?
Speaker B:And then my favorite, what made you laugh?
Speaker B:And that kind of gives the parents that check in to see, okay, we might need to talk about this one further.
Speaker B:We might need to do that further or, okay, my kid's okay today, we're good.
Speaker B:That kind of thing.
Speaker B:And then the other thing for parents, through my research, hugs.
Speaker B:Hugs are underestimated in my opinion.
Speaker B:And through research, I found out four hugs.
Speaker B:You need four hugs a day just to survive.
Speaker B:You need eight hugs to maintain the status quo and 12 to thrive and grow.
Speaker B:And that can include animal hugs, cat hugs, dog hugs.
Speaker B:Just so people know.
Speaker A:I love that in this digital age, parenting is different.
Speaker A:So how do you help modern parents to really kind of grasp what it means to be kind?
Speaker A:Because like you said, in this culture we have now, there's so much social media impact.
Speaker A:So what tips do you have for the challenge that modern parents have about parenting?
Speaker B:I think one of the best things to do is how do you want to be treated?
Speaker B:I have one of my.
Speaker B:This.
Speaker B:This is somebody that I knew that was retired and then they went and worked in a parking garage.
Speaker B:And he said, loved it.
Speaker B:Best job he ever had.
Speaker B:He had a great.
Speaker B:He loves it.
Speaker B:And he went on vacation for two weeks and came back, and the people said, we missed your smile.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:Our day just was never the same.
Speaker B:Your smile and your good morning Made my day.
Speaker B:My days have been.
Speaker B:I've had the worst two weeks in the longest time.
Speaker B:And the guy looked at me, he was so funny.
Speaker B:And he said, you, kindness lady, you always told me.
Speaker B:He always told me that kindness meant something.
Speaker B:He said, but I didn't realize what you meant until someone told me just my smile and my good morning made their morning and made their days go better.
Speaker B:And that's what parents have to in this day and age.
Speaker B:It's that simple.
Speaker B:Keep it simple.
Speaker B:I'm not trying to pile something on to their already busy plate.
Speaker B:But that's.
Speaker B:He had no idea.
Speaker B:And I don't think anyone else, I said, until you start to do it, you don't realize the impact you can have.
Speaker B:And that's what I want parents to realize.
Speaker B:It doesn't have to be hard, doesn't have to be complicated.
Speaker B:Just a smile and a good morning goes a long, long way.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So you've been doing this for a while.
Speaker A:What are some success stories that maybe a family that maybe implemented what you're doing and, and you just love telling that story.
Speaker B:One of the success stories, I was just, I had just posted a video today on delivery people because this time of year we're all ordering online for the holidays and you're getting an influx of all these deliveries.
Speaker B:So I said, why don't you be nice to the delivery guy, put out the small bottle of water and, you know, the snack bags of chips.
Speaker B:And I know I caught.
Speaker B:Last year, I caught a delivery guy out there and he said, oh my gosh, I was starving and I don't have time to stop and get lunch or lunch.
Speaker B:And he said, this is great.
Speaker B:But somebody else then today after my post said, you know what?
Speaker B:We always put a thank you note in the mailbox for the mailman.
Speaker B:And I thought, that's a great idea to do too.
Speaker B:And then somebody else came and said, you know, we try to catch the garbage collectors at least once a month and run out and literally run out to them, down to the street and with snacks and drinks for them.
Speaker B:So, you know, I gave an idea and I'm just kind of giving you a framework, but see other people take those ideas and expand on them.
Speaker B:And I think that's wonderful.
Speaker A:And again, it's great.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh, go ahead.
Speaker B:No, I said, again, it's something simple.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:So in your book, you talk about creating an atmosphere of fun and happy moments.
Speaker A:I was listening to a book by Brianna Brown and she talked about how we don't really know how to play.
Speaker A:And we have to struggle to kind of.
Speaker A:It's not always our natural fallback point.
Speaker A:So give us some examples of activities for people who don't know how to have fun and create happy moments that they could maybe model in their own life and family.
Speaker B:Well, this is my favorite thing to do with kids, because a lot of times when you're trying to be kind and, you know, and someone's coming at you, you know, your actual natural reaction is to react to that.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:One of the things I teach in strategies is to take a pause and stop and take a breath.
Speaker B:Well, a fun thing to do with your kids, to teach your children how to take a pause is blowing bubbles, because you have to take a deep breath and let it out, and it's bubbles.
Speaker B:It's fun.
Speaker B:And kids, yeah, you can do that anywhere, and they have a great time with it.
Speaker B:So that's just something fun to do.
Speaker B:One thing I did had my great nieces and nephews out, and I.
Speaker B:We were in the park and we were playing around, and they're.
Speaker B:And just doing all the park things.
Speaker B:All the things.
Speaker B:And I'm just looking around going, people have missed the trash can by a mile.
Speaker B:So I said, okay, guys ran to the car.
Speaker B:I had some empty grocery bags.
Speaker B:I said, everybody, whoever gets the most trash wins.
Speaker B:And they went, who knew picking up trash could be fun, but you make a game out of it.
Speaker B:And here.
Speaker B:And we helped keep the park clean at the same time.
Speaker B:And they had a ball.
Speaker B:They had a ball, and I made everybody one, so.
Speaker B:So we all went and got a treat.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:So what.
Speaker A:What reaction are you getting?
Speaker A:Back to your book of people responding?
Speaker A:Are they thanking you?
Speaker A:What's just kind of overall feedback you're getting?
Speaker B:Yeah, no, it's all positive.
Speaker B:I had one person that just said, well, I've heard it all before.
Speaker B:What are we going to do?
Speaker B:And I'm like, you know, lessons need to be repeated, and clearly you're not practicing it, and there's other people not practicing it.
Speaker B:So that was probably my one negative comment.
Speaker B:And I'm not saying it's all I give.
Speaker B:Just putting out the framework, putting it back out there in a simple, easy process for busy parents to follow.
Speaker B:But most of it's been busy.
Speaker B:Like, gosh, I never even thought of that.
Speaker B:And, oh, and they take the framework and then you tweak it so it works into your family and your life.
Speaker B:And most people have just taken it and kind of run with it.
Speaker B:And, you know, one.
Speaker B:I can tell Another story of one of my great nephews.
Speaker B:They are my inspiration.
Speaker B:I'll just use a lot of their stories.
Speaker B:You know, here he is, junior high, and he sees this kid in a wheelchair who can't push his wheelchair and carry his cafeteria tray at the same time.
Speaker B:And so he said, hey, I'll carry it for you.
Speaker B:They do.
Speaker B:He sits down with him and his friends.
Speaker B:And my nephew is an athlete, and most of his friends are, too.
Speaker B:Come to find out, the kid in the wheelchair knew every sports statistic known to man.
Speaker B:And these kids were friends all through junior high.
Speaker B:Now, they've gone off to different high schools, but they were very close friends all that time.
Speaker B:So, again, it's those kind of things that happen.
Speaker B:Another one, something people need to understand is.
Speaker B:Is, you know, personal pain is as unique as a fingerprint.
Speaker B:You never know what somebody's going through.
Speaker B:So always be kind.
Speaker B:And I learned myself, I learned this lesson when I was at a restaurant, and this woman.
Speaker B:We got seated, got our menus, and then the server took forever to get up there, but she comes up and she.
Speaker B:You just.
Speaker B:You won't believe it.
Speaker B:No one does.
Speaker B:But this really happened.
Speaker B:What do you want?
Speaker B:And we're like.
Speaker B:We had a couple questions.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:I was just told to come over here and take your order.
Speaker B:What do you want?
Speaker B:Like, okay, so we ordered.
Speaker B:We got what we ordered.
Speaker B:It was fine.
Speaker B:She never came back to feel coffee or anything.
Speaker B:She comes by, literally.
Speaker B:I mean, I'm not exaggerating.
Speaker B:She almost threw the bill on the table and stomped away.
Speaker B:And we're looking at each other, and we had a decision to make.
Speaker B:Did we call the manager or.
Speaker B:Or not?
Speaker B:What are we going to do?
Speaker B:So we decided against calling the manager.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:We tipped her normal.
Speaker B:We didn't ding her on the tip or anything.
Speaker B:We tipped her normal tip.
Speaker B:And then I wrote on the receipt, you were designed to shine and put a smiley face.
Speaker B:We gathered up our stuff.
Speaker B:We walked out.
Speaker B:Do you know, she chased us out into the parking lot and said, thank you.
Speaker B:I needed to hear that today.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker B:Turns around and runs back in the restaurant.
Speaker B:Now I made a decision, and this is what I'm trying to get other people to do.
Speaker B:We could have called the manager over.
Speaker B:We could have.
Speaker B:We had every right to do that.
Speaker B:But what was more important?
Speaker B:Was it more important that we were right or to be kind to her?
Speaker B:And being kind to her changed her entire day and probably all the customers that came after us.
Speaker B:So those are just the kind of things that people need to be.
Speaker B:Need to take that pause and think about.
Speaker A:You know, it was so funny.
Speaker A:I had one of my other podcast guests, and she mentioned the fact that what her goal is in life is to sparkle Jesus everywhere she goes.
Speaker B:I love that.
Speaker A:And it just kind of sounds like it's what you did by not giving her back what she was giving to you, but instead sparkling a little bit of Jesus and your kindness and appreciation, empathy for her.
Speaker A:You changed her day.
Speaker A:And it's amazing what you just talked about, how kindness can really, truly impact people in ways we cannot possibly imagine.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And just feeding off of that kindness, when you're performing acts of kindness with someone, you're also opening that door to opportunities to introduce Jesus into their lives.
Speaker A:Exactly right.
Speaker A:It's a wonderful gift we have as Christians to be able to do that that maybe others don't have.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And it.
Speaker B:And it's.
Speaker B:It's wonderful.
Speaker B:I got.
Speaker B:I got another fun story.
Speaker B:One of the reactions I did have, one negative reaction I will tell back.
Speaker B:That goes Back to the 21 day kindness challenge I did.
Speaker B:I said, there's no room in your journey in kindness for road rage.
Speaker B:I have more reactions from that than anything else.
Speaker B:And it's because they didn't want to be kind.
Speaker B:They wanted to be.
Speaker B:They wanted to rage on the road.
Speaker B:But he cut me off and that idiot.
Speaker B:And I'm like, oh, my gosh.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:So what happened to me?
Speaker B:I'm getting off an exit ramp, and I, to this day, have no idea what I did.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:And this guy stops in front of me.
Speaker B:We're waiting for the light to change on the exit ramp, and he's out of his car, waving his arms, yelling at me.
Speaker B:And I'm like, gosh, what am I gonna do?
Speaker B:Lock the doors, roll up the window.
Speaker B:I don't know what this guy's doing.
Speaker B:So I go back to Patch Adams, and I had bought the red clown nose, and I.
Speaker B:It was sitting in my console, and I'm like, well, now I know what I'm gonna do with this thing.
Speaker B:I put it on and then just waved at the guy through the windshield.
Speaker B:He couldn't have stopped faster.
Speaker B:And to this day, I wonder what he told people when he got to his destination about the crazy lady with the crown nose.
Speaker B:So, you know, with road rage, nine times out of ten, they don't know what they did.
Speaker B:And you've got kids in the backseat, probably the teenager who's going to be driving in a couple years sitting next to you.
Speaker B:So no, don't put, put the stop on your horn, because I loved my horn and I did do that.
Speaker B:And so to stop me from blowing my horn all the time at people and know that whatever's coming out of your mouth, colorful language, colorful hand signals, the kids that are in your car are seeing that.
Speaker B:And then have some fun.
Speaker B:Have some fun with it.
Speaker B:You want to, you want to teach kids, you can do this when they're arguing and you know, they're yelling and screaming at each other.
Speaker B:So just get between them and just say.
Speaker B:And then if it's my kids, they're going, oh, she's at it again.
Speaker B:Just ways to have fun and throw some humor into it.
Speaker B:So anyway, that's so cool.
Speaker A:So what do you hope the long term effects of your book are on families and communities?
Speaker B:You know, I want to change the world, bottom line.
Speaker B:And you know, you, I'm sure, know as well.
Speaker B:We've all been watching the news.
Speaker B:And the thing with kindness is there is, you know, I told you about all the studies that are being done.
Speaker B:One of them is if you and I exchange an act of kindness, your serotonin levels go up and send wine.
Speaker B:Well, serotonin is your happy hormones.
Speaker B:Some of the studies say oxytocin, but they're all happy hormones.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter.
Speaker B:So from one act of kindness, you and I are happy.
Speaker B:Well, what I just think the most fascinating thing is anybody that watched that exchange that act of kindness, their serotonin levels also go up.
Speaker B:So one act of kindness, we have created a ripple of kind, happy people in this room.
Speaker B:And my goal would be that just focus on your corner of the world.
Speaker B:It doesn't have to, we don't have to change everybody, but just your neighborhood, just your street, and create that ripple of kindness.
Speaker B:And then if we're all doing that, all those ripples are being created that they're going to merge together and create a wave of kindness that washes across the country.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:So here's my other favorite question I love to ask my guests.
Speaker A:What do you want your legacy to be?
Speaker B:That I actually reached parents and, and not just parents, anybody.
Speaker B:That they realize that they become aware of what they're doing and making intentional acts of kindness.
Speaker B:And it doesn't have to be anything huge, just one, two things here and there make a huge, huge difference.
Speaker B:But I want people to know that kindness opens the door to, to share your faith.
Speaker B:Kindness opens the door to have realistic conversations, level conversations.
Speaker B:That kindness opens many doors and can truly change the world, if we all put it together.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So as you wrap up this amazing conversation, is there anything I haven't asked you that I should have asked you?
Speaker B:Oh, I don't know, Keith.
Speaker B:You've asked a lot.
Speaker B:We've hit a lot.
Speaker B:I've talked to you about personal pain.
Speaker B:This is another thing, especially I think in today's environment that we should talk about is, is that.
Speaker B:And it's a W.C.
Speaker B:fields quote.
Speaker B:And I really, it hit me hard one day.
Speaker B:And basically he says, just because you're invited to an argument doesn't mean you have to attend.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker B:Yeah, it is.
Speaker B:And think about it in this environment today, that.
Speaker B:That goes a long way.
Speaker B:And it goes also back to the Do I have to be right or do you want to be kind?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:So, yeah, that's the big thing.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:And I do want.
Speaker B:Keith, I do got something I would like to share with your listeners, too.
Speaker B:It's a free.
Speaker A:What's that?
Speaker B:It's a free checklist of 75 ways to be kind.
Speaker B:So if you're stuck, you're like, well, I don't know what she's talking about.
Speaker B:I don't know where to start.
Speaker B:This checklist gives them a place to start and then just make a game of it.
Speaker B:How fast can you go through all 75 or, you know, or look at it and say, yeah, this is good, but I'm going to tweak it to work it for our family.
Speaker A:So how's the audience get access to that?
Speaker B:Yeah, I will post a link below and it'll lead you right to the checklist.
Speaker A:All right, thanks so much.
Speaker A:I'm sure the audience could benefit from more kindness.
Speaker A:Our world can benefit from.
Speaker A:For more kindness, where can listeners find your book Raising Kind Children and connect with you on your latest projects?
Speaker B:Yeah, that can be found on Amazon.
Speaker B:And there's also a journal that goes with that that you can also.
Speaker B:They can also purchase so they can keep track of all their acts of kindness.
Speaker A:Well, that's great.
Speaker A:So one more time as we wrap this up.
Speaker A:And this was a great conversation.
Speaker A:What key takeaways you want to leave with the audience?
Speaker B:I think the key takeaways are, you know, everybody's pain is as unique as a fingerprint.
Speaker B:So always be kind.
Speaker B:And are you right?
Speaker B:Do you need to be right or do you want to be kind?
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for taking the time to be on.
Speaker A:And I feel just kinder having talked to you today.
Speaker A:So this is.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Blessings on the work that you're doing well.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:I appreciate that.
Speaker B:And thank you for having me on.
Speaker B:I do appreciate that.
Speaker A:Thank you.
