How Jehovah’s Witnesses Are Instilling Kindness in Their Children

In preparation for World Kindness Day on Nov. 13, many residents of Northern Mindanao are doing their share to promote this rare quality in their own families.

Research has shown that instilling kindness in children from birth can lay the groundwork for healthy relationships and can teach them to cultivate respect and empathy for others.

As a mother of three school-aged children, Mel Devera, a resident of Malaybalay City understands the importance of teaching her children kindness from a young age.

“Kind children will most likely grow up to be kind adults,” said Mel. “Our kids are watching everything that we do, so my husband, Jun and I try our best to lead by example.”

In addition to modeling acts of kindness at home, Mel and Jun have found the educational tools on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to be immensely helpful when teaching valuable lessons.

The website features animated videos and printable family activities starring Caleb and Sophia, two fictional characters who have become household names for many families.

“Our children love watching the ‘Be Kind and Share’ Caleb and Sophia video,” said Ragem and Hazel Opema, residents of Cagayan de Oro, parents of two young children. “They have a real sibling camaraderie now, and that brings us so much joy.”

The Caleb and Sophia content was specifically created to help parents address the serious challenges of raising children in a hostile world, says Arnel Salape, a regional spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Northern Mindanao.

“As acts of violence continue to dominate news headlines, instilling kindness at home has never been more important,” said Salape.“ Parents can benefit from all the free tools found on jw.org to raise children who live by the words found in Acts 20:35, ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’”

The “Be Kind and Share” video , starring Caleb and Sophia, can be streamed for free on jw.org, which features practical Bible-based content in over 1,070 languages.