Exposing Your Child to Books that Teach Compassion, Kindness, Respect & Love

In our home it is very important that we teach love and compassion. Since Izzy was a baby we have not only talked about these things, but read books to Izzy that expose her to different cultures and skin tones and also books that teach compassion, kindness, empathy, respect and love. She has always loved books and being read to. In our home we also talk a lot about feelings and how things we say and do can help others and hurt others.

This year was Izzy’s first year in school. We chose to put her in Montessori because the philosophy is truly amazing. The children work in an environment that is full of love, respect and peace. They learn to be mindful of their actions and to be respectful of all.

“Times have changed, and science has made great progress, and so has our work; but our principles have only been confirmed, and along with them our conviction that mankind can hope for a solution to its problems, among which the most urgent are those of peace and unity, only by turning its attention and energies to the discovery of the child and to the development of the great potentialities of the human personality in the course of its formation.” -Dr. Maria Montessori

With all the things going on in our world, I needed time to process what has been going on & why. Why is this happening? And how can we as a society change it? It truly starts with the children. I believe they are the ones that can have the biggest impact on changes in our world. As you can see from the quotes I pulled, Dr. Maria Montessori believed the same thing.

I thought it was important to share some books that will expose your child to different cultures, skin tones, teach them love, respect and kindness. I started this blog to help families get resources to make parenthood easier and to give resources to help children learn & grow. My passion and love for children is why I was a teacher and pursued a, new at the time, degree in Birth Through Five education.

I believe if our children can be raised to be loving, kind and respectful individuals then, we will no longer see so many hateful acts. It starts with us as parents at home, teaching and showing our kids respect. If we can all respect each other, then we become more thoughtful with our words and actions.

“The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. We have seen children totally change as they acquire a love for things and as their sense of order, discipline, and self-control develops within them…. The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

Books About Emotions, Respect, Kindness & Self Control

Remember books are great conversation starters. You don’t have to wait until the end of the story to ask questions or make comments. If you feel there are teachable moments you want to point out while reading, you should. Typically this is something I do after the book has been read to Izzy at least once. During the story I may ask her questions or make comments to make it more personal and relatable to her. For example, “Oh that is like the time…” or “How would that make you feel?”.

Multicultural Books

“We recognise the immense power, the unconscious forces existing in the child on the threshold of life. For many years we have been proclaiming that it is necessary to educate the child from the moment of birth. We have traced, through study and practical experience, the ideal path leading to the world of children, of these beings whose social status has as yet not been determined, whose rights have not been recognised and who nevertheless represent the men of tomorrow.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

Let’s create a better world for our children, by nurturing the souls and minds of our children.

XO Eryka