Looking back, it may seem a little like cheating, but my friend Annie found a way, several years ago, to instill in her young kids the habit of performing random acts of kindness. She didn't call them that at the time-this was before the phrase became popular-she called these acts "good deeds". And here's the kicker: her kids, young as they were, were tickled to learn the habit, becoming anxious and even competitive in finding ways to help others. And the habit has stuck with them, as they've grown into teenagers. They're two of the most compassionate, caring, helpful kids you'e ever imagine meeting.
How did Annie do it? By teaching them The Golden Rule? By finding a magic empathy elixir? By forcing them to watch endless reruns of Touched By An Angel? Nope-she accomplished this amazing feat through the clever and devious use of a terrifying threat guaranteed to chill the heart of any young child-if they didn't do it...
Read the rest of "Good Deeds and the Santa Factor" here
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