society

Nurturing Empathy in Children: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence

Nurturing Empathy in Children: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence

In an age marked by rapid digital interaction, the ability to engage emotionally and understand others' perspectives is becoming increasingly important. For parents and caregivers, equipping youngsters with tools to express and interpret emotions constructively is pivotal to their future success and happiness.

How to Nurture Your Child’s Passion for Social Change

How to Nurture Your Child’s Passion for Social Change

There are some practical ways to help your child discover their passion for change and channel their energy and enthusiasm in a positive direction. Whether it's through volunteering, fundraising, advocacy, or simply being kind to others, you can make service and kindness a cornerstone of your family's values and build a better world together.

Give Thanks by Giving Back

Give Thanks by Giving Back

One way to simultaneously show gratitude and address anxiety, depression, and lack of control is by doing something positive. This Thanksgiving season let’s challenge one another to give thanks by giving back. Together, we can spread kindness, compassion, and generosity to make a difference in the world.

Get Outside & Off of Screens!

Get Outside & Off of Screens!

Next time your child is begging to stay inside, take a moment to consider the benefits of spending some time in the great outdoors. It might just do them some good. Here are some ideas to get your family outside and immersed in nature this spring.

Celebrate Family This Holiday Season

Celebrate Family This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time to come together and celebrate the things that matter most. Family, friends, and loved ones can all play a role in making this time of year special. However, the holiday season can also be a time of stress and anxiety. With so much to do and so little time, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. This year, take a step back and focus on what’s truly important. Embrace kindness and show others gratitude. Give yourself and those around you the gift of your time and attention. These small acts of kindness will help alleviate your stress and will also go a long way in making this holiday season one to remember.

Weave Gratitude Into Your Life

Weave Gratitude Into Your Life

As the leaves begin to fall and the days grow shorter, it can be easy to forget all the things for which we are grateful. However, studies have shown that practicing gratitude can improve our mental and physical health. This November, let's take some time to focus on all the good in our lives. Gratitude is the act of being thankful for the good things in your life. When you focus on the good, you’ll find that your life is filled with more wonder and abundance than you ever realized. Practicing gratitude is one of the best ways to cultivate happiness and make the most of every day.

The Power of Kindness to Counteract Bullying

It's no secret that bullying is a problem in schools. All too often children are teased, excluded, or made to feel inferior because of their appearance, intelligence, or interests. But there is hope. Kindness has the power to change the culture of a school and create an environment where everyone is respected and valued.

DGT 2021 Best Picks

We have such gratitude for our big-hearted community of families and partners that have supported us this past year. You are all inspirational in the ways you take what we create and find energy, space, and time to prioritize your values in teaching your children. This month, I want to spotlight DGT’s best creations of 2021.






Spread Kindness This Holiday Season

The last couple of years have overstretched our patience, creativity, and emotions. That means it is more important than ever to connect with others, spark kindness in one another, spread joy, love your neighbors, and remember compassion. Here are some ideas to bring kindness into your home this holiday season.






Parting Words: Lessons I’ve Learned about Kindness and Kids

I am deeply grateful to all of you for understanding the profound impact that raising thoughtful, compassionate, engaged children has for their well-being – and that of our families and communities. Under MiaLisa’s leadership, we will continue to add tools and resources to make this practice integral to your lives.






Practicing Kindness: An Age-by-Age Guide

This month we want to share kindness skills by age – which skills are best practiced when. As COVID-19 constraints continue to linger, it’s worth remembering that spending time doing good for others has been found to lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Enjoy these simple – and fun! – ideas.




Doing Good Together: Our Best of 2020

Doing Good Together: Our Best of 2020

Despite some badly needed hope and light on the horizon, the country still faces myriad challenges. For this reason, our work continues to be critical, since we know (more clearly than ever) that it’s compassion, justice, and community that bring us together — and bring about change. We hope you picked up lots of fun, engaging opportunities for kindness and giving this past year. In case you missed them, we list some favorite resources below.






Six New Traditions to Add More Joy, Hope, and Kindness to Your Holiday

Six New Traditions to Add More Joy, Hope, and Kindness to Your Holiday

Yes, it will be a different kind of holiday, but you also have an opportunity to make this year's celebration one of your family's best by scaling down, embracing new traditions, and connecting more deeply to what you most value. These ideas will add a kick of kindness and hope to your COVID-challenged season --- and help you keep the spirit of the holidays alive despite the compromises we're making to keep one another safe.






Reimagining Your Thanksgiving Celebration

Reimagining Your Thanksgiving Celebration

Since so much might be different about our Thanksgiving this year, it's an ideal time to think creatively about the holiday. We know, for example, that the simple history of Thanksgiving that we've been taught is neither accurate nor fair, so how could we unravel this myth for our children? Here are ways to make Thanksgiving in this upside-down year more meaningful, more compassionate, and a truer reflection of our deepest values.




Food Insecurity in U.S. Is Growing – Here's How to Help

With so many crises swirling around us, the problem of food insecurity in this country hasn't received the attention it deserves. As you know, poor access to food has serious consequences for mental and physical health, especially for kids. Talk to your children about this troubling issue and, if you're in a position to do so, help neighbors experiencing tight times.




How the Pandemic Can Build Your Child's Social-Emotional Skills

Without denying the serious financial, educational, and mental health consequences of the world's COVID pandemic, it's worth looking at how we can use this unprecedented time to enhance our children's social-emotional skills. Our children are facing a variety of stressors: disrupted routines, loneliness, boredom, and sometimes severe economic strain. Let's use this time to nurture those armor-building skills.




Why Heroes Matter (especially now)

Heroes exemplify cherished values, display qualities we admire, show us how to overcome challenges -- and call us to stand up for others. They help build a better world for us all. Heroes are especially important as we deal with a global pandemic, because they nurture hope and help us cultivate fortitude in this challenging time. Talk to your children about heroic qualities (empathy, courage, compassion) and the people who are displaying those qualities right now. Then let's all try to nourish our inner hero to care for ourselves and others.


Fun, Summer-Friendly Ways to Build Resilience in Your Kids

Even in less-trying times, most parents try to keep their kids from experiencing stress, setbacks, and struggles. These days, with all the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding COVID, that's nearly impossible. But we can provide our kids with the emotional armor and grit-enhancing tools to help them bounce back from hard times - and even "bounce forward" as a stronger person. Here are some ideas for instilling resilience in your child, and having fun doing it.


Fun, Meaningful Ideas for a Low-Cost, No-Camp Summer

Even as we continue the work of building a stronger, healthier, more equitable world, the everyday challenges of work and parenthood are still with us. We don't have the answers to these challenging issues, but we do have a few ideas for how your family can have fun, get outside, be creative, and help others this summer.