Acts of Kindness with Your Young Children

The month of October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Hopefully you have been able to read the posts our school counselor, Jill Thomas, has been writing that provide many insights on character development. This month, at all of our Fairmont campuses, we are emphasizing acts of kindness. With our children, it isn't enough simply to say "be nice." Though we say that often as they learn to navigate relationships with their friends, as parents, we need to go one step further. We need to lead by example and model those positive behaviors for and with our little ones because it can be challenging for young children to understand feelings and their powers to initiate feelings in others.

One way to teach your child the importance of being kind to others is to talk to them about giving compliments. I was at the doctor's office today, and this lovely 83-year-old woman (she volunteered her age) complimented my skin, and just an hour later at the grocery store, a kind gentleman at the checkout lane complimented my outfit. You know that feeling of smiling on the inside so much that it radiates to the outside and puts a really big smile on your face for others to see? That is what I was feeling. 

Nothing feels better than when you let yourself smile. Challenge yourself and your child to give an authentic compliment to the next person you see. Less words can often be more powerful with young children. Simply explain that when we are nice, it makes others feel good. You could say, "Watch what happens when [Daddy or Mommy] tells the waiter he is very kind. Did you see him smile? That's how you know you made a difference to that person."

Give your child suggestions of a few ways to compliment someone authentically. The following are a handful of examples you could use:

I like how you drew those details in your picture.
You chose a great game for us to play.
You are a great friend.
You are really good at math.

Then you can teach your child how to receive a compliment politely by having him or her say "thank you" and smile. More often than not, that smile will be contagious. Have a great weekend with your family, and embrace and enjoy the little moments. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more weekly challenges during the month of October!

This week, Fairmont Prep kicked off its Homecoming celebration with Spirit Week. Each day was a different theme hosted by the different grade-level ASB members. During lunch, there were special food items and activities for the students. During Tuesday's "Athletes" day, hosted by the junior class, students were able to battle with their friends on the lawn in GIANT BUBBLES! On Wednesday, the sophomore class hosted a puppy zoo, and students were able to play with puppies.

Traditionally, the Homecoming pep rally is hosted on the day of the football game. This year, the football game was on Thursday, October 5, at 7:00 pm at Yorba Linda High School, and the pep rally was held during the activity period the same day for the entire school to gather and cheer on their sports team. The cheerleaders performed, and class competition games were played.

So, why all of the fuss over a game? The football game is the main Homecoming attraction because the current students and alumni can attend, providing a huge crowd and lots of energy! During the halftime show, the Homecoming court of princes and princesses, pre-selected by the student body, gathered at the center of the field for the crowning of the 2017 Homecoming king and queen. Congratulations to this year's Homecoming king and queen winners, Alan Lam and Sue Min Shin!

Now that Fairmont Prep has defeated Southlands Christian 37-28, ASB will host the Homecoming dance this Saturday, October 7. It's a time for the entire school to come together and party! Overall, Spirit Week has been wonderful, and it is great to see all of the students involved and participating.