Patrick Rafter from Good News Network writes:
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” ~ Lao Tzu
Educators from across the U.S. gathered in Cambridge, Massachusetts for “Making Caring Common: Cultivating Kindness and Preventing Bullying in Schools,” a 2-day program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Drawing on 2014 Harvard research that found that 80 percent of youth say their parents care more about their achievements and happiness than about whether they are being kind, the program’s goal was to share strategies for promoting school cultures of caring and for preventing challenging student behaviors like bullying.
As the parent of three children who hopes they’ll grow up to be kind and giving members of society, the survey results were disturbing, especially having just read Sherry Turkle’s new book Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, which cited concerns that today’s kids’ pervasive use of smart phones has made them less empathetic and unpracticed in conversation skills necessary for true communication.
But, there’s also an encouraging and contradictory trend that shows that more and more kids are “giving back” and embracing new technologies to show their charity.
In May 2016, the social fundraising website Booster based in Newton, Massachusetts announced “B-Cause: Kids” – a first-of-its-kind national awareness initiative to inspire more kids to be generous and giving.
“Since kids are our most important asset, Americans need to do whatever we can to ensure their well-being, to help them to become well-rounded citizens, and to teach them to give back,” said Andrew Moss, President of Booster, LLC. “It’s time to spread the word that philanthropy is fun, and that charity is essential for all children.”
Booster’s initiative honors what it calls the “next generation of philanthropists.” In a post on its blog, Booster has showcased a group of 14 American kids (from 7-to-16 years of age) who are making a difference standing up for people and causes they care about.
Read more HERE.
About the Author
For 30+ years, from Boston’s Rte. 128 to Silicon Valley, and from Washington, DC to Europe — Patrick Rafter has been present at the creation, and active in “spreading the word” on innovative technologies & services, as well as for worthy nonprofits and causes. A frequent blogger, Rafter has also written for/been quoted in a wide range of media outlets from MACWORLD to the Wall Street Journal, and from The Huffington Post to The Washington Post.