Parenting
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50 Ways to Show Kids You Care
You can make a difference by being a caring, responsible friend for young people. Here are fifty ideas to show kids how you care:
1. Notice them
2. Smile a lot
3. Acknowledge them
4. Learn their names
5. Seek them out
6. Remember their birthday
7. Ask them about themselves
8. Look in their eyes when you talk to them
9. Listen to them
10. Play with them
11. Read aloud together
12. Giggle together
13. Be nice
14. Say yes a lot
15. Tell them their feelings are okay
16. Set boundaries that keep them safe
17. Be honest
18. Be yourself
19. Listen to their stories
20. Hug them
21. Forget your worries sometimes and concentrate only on
them
22. Notice when they’re acting differently
23. Present options when they seek your counsel
24. Play outside together
25. Surprise them
26. Stay with them when they
are afraid
27. Invite them over for juice
28. Suggest better behaviors when they act out
29. Feed them when they’re hungry
30. Delight in their discoveries
31. Share their excitement
32. Send them a letter or postcard
33. Follow them when they lead
34. Notice when they’re absent
35. Call them to say hello
36. Hide surprises for them to find
37. Give them space when they need it
38. Contribute to their collections
39. Discuss their dreams and nightmares
40. Laugh at their jokes
41. Be relaxed
42. Kneel, squat, or sit so you’re at their eye level
43. Answer their questions
44. Tell them how terrific they are
45. Create a tradition with them and keep it
46. Learn what they have to teach
47. Use your ears more than your mouth
48. Make yourself available
49. Show up at their concerts, games and events
50. Find a common interest
Reprinted with permission from Jolene L. Roehlkepartain, 150 Ways to Show You Care, (Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute, 1998) All rights reserved by Search Institute, 1-800-888-7828. Search Institute, 1999.
150 Ways to Show Kids You Care is available from Search Institute as a colorful pamphlet that doubles as a poster. Call 1-800-888-7828 or write Search Institute, 700 South Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55415, or Search Institute website at www.search-institute.org
