“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop

Parents and educators widely accept the importance of instilling a love for reading in children from a tender age. But the types of books that children are exposed to deserve equal attention, especially those that talk about kindness. Why, you may ask, is reading about kindness so essential in a child’s development? What is it about these themes that are so integral in shaping the minds and attitudes of our young ones? The answers might be more fundamental than you expect. Here’s a clarifying look into why reading about kindness is mandatory in your home library.

1. Cultivating Emotional Intelligence:
When children read books about kindness, they start understanding and experiencing empathy, compassion, and other essential emotional values. With characters displaying acts of kindness, children learn more about emotions and how they affect others, fostering their emotional intelligence.

2. Promoting Positive Behaviour:
It is through stories that young minds learn to relate their actions to consequences. Books that highlight the positive implications of kindness subtly teach children the value of being nice to others, promoting positive behavior.

3. Boosting Self Esteem:
By reading about characters that do good and are lauded for their kind acts, children are often inspired to act similarly. The affirmation and joy they experience when they show kindness can significantly boost their self-esteem.

4. Encouraging Tolerance and Acceptance:
Stories of kindness often include elements of diversity and difference, instilling the idea that everyone deserves respect and kindness, regardless of their backgrounds or differences. This promotes tolerance and acceptance.

5. Developing Social Skills:
A child who reads about kindness will understand the basic principles of good interaction - say, politeness, sharing, or helping. These elements significantly aid in developing essential social skills.

6. Fostering a Lifelong Habit:
Finally, it’s a well-established fact that the habits and attitudes we develop as children often stick around for life. Inculcating the value of kindness early on helps them grow into considerate and kind adults.

'Have You Filled a Bucket Today?', 'The Giving Tree', 'Wonder' - there's a treasure trove of beautifully written children's books that handle the subject of kindness with the sensitivity and respect it deserves. By introducing your child to the concept of kindness through literature, you’re not just nurturing a reader; you’re raising a kind-hearted individual set to make the human race a little kinder, one small act at a time.

Always remember - in a world where you can be anything, be kind!