Books are powerful. A really good book has the power to change you a little bit. It is wonderful when you can find a book that changes your family forever. Today, I’d like to talk about one of those books. This book has helped our family to encourage kindness at home- and that’s a beautiful thing!

Several years ago, my husband found a gem of a book on the “free” table of our town’s transfer station… and it changed the way our family talks about kindness.

Encourage Kindness at Home With This Fantastic Book

I have trouble picking favorite books because it is so challenging to choose, but if I had to pick the one book that changed our family for the better, I would select Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud.

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids is an award-winning book provides a metaphor that helps kids to think about those around them. The basic premise is that everyone carries with them an invisible bucket. During the day, we all make choices and we can choose to be bucket fillers—those who make others feel good—or bucket dippers—those who make others feel lousy. This book changed the language I use as a parent and has had a lasting impact on our family.

This little book inspired a family kindness project that changed our family for the better. This kindness project is super-simple to implement and it leaves lasting ripples!

More books to encourage kindness at home:

Here are some of our family’s absolute favorite books to spark empathy and encourage kindness at home and beyond:

• A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
• Don’t Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin
• Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
• How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath
• Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson
• Ordinary People Change the World (series) by Brad Meltzer
• The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
• The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper
• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

And, if you are looking for something holiday-related, my youngest adores this one:

• The North Pole Ninjas Mission Christmas by Tyler Knott Gregson

Looking to take the learning to the next level?

Check out these wonderful resources:

• The Kindness Elves 
  These adorable little elves are the brainchild of Anna, a former primary school teacher, mom to four, and owner of the popular website The Imagination Tree. Anna started the tradition years ago with her children as an alternative to the naughty elf tradition. These little elves inspire kindness in children and spread a little magic, too! And, they can be used off and on throughout the year, not just during the holidays!
• The Doll Kind 
  This whimsical doll empowers children to spread joy and kindness in their corner of this earth. Each doll comes with kindness tokens, which children dole out as they perform random acts of kindness. And, for every doll sold, The Doll Kind donates a doll to a child in need.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me: Do you have a favorite book to encourage kindness? Share here!