Every mom can be kind; feisty moms, quiet moms, loud moms, all moms. Kindness doesn’t mean being wimpy; it means choosing our words and actions carefully, with the thought of doing good for our children in the forefront of our minds.

Energize yourself

This is my all-time favorite thing to do in my day. Choose the things that you love and that make you happy and do them every day.

Get up early and have some me time

Having time to yourself is absolutely essential. You can’t be a good parent if you are too tired to think, too tired to come up with creative responses and solutions or too tired to ignore the small things.

Take a deep breath

Never ever punish when angry. Just don’t. Heed this advice and you’ll always be a calm parent. Separate the kids and then walk away. Step outside. Or, go to your room and close the door and lay on your bed until you are calm.

Don’t clip your child’s wings

Your toddler’s mission in life is to gain independence. So when she’s developmentally capable of putting her toys away, clearing her plate from the table, and dressing herself, let her. Giving a child responsibility is good for her self-esteem.

Play with your children

Let them choose the activity, and don’t worry about rules. Just go with the flow and have fun. That’s the name of the game.

Don’t yell

Let’s face it! When we scream at our kids, we basically send kindness blasting out the window. Yes, there is a time to yell at your children—like when the house is on fire or they forgot their backpack and you need to get their attention before they climb on the bus, but most of our communication can be conveyed just as effectively without yelling.

Give hugs

It sounds simple, and even a little corny, but hugs are healthy. Not only do they actually help us physically—lower blood pressure and calmer minds—but they help us connect with our children too. So laugh about it, if you must, but do it.  My daughter is 4 years old, but I’ll still say, “Okay, I need my 10-second hug.” Those hugs are like making a deposit in your “kind account.” You hug your child. You feel more loving to your child. You are kinder to your child.

— Ruchita Srivastava —