Teaching Children Heartfulness

As a teacher in the elementary grades and a parent of a 12, 14, and 17 year old, I’ve been acutely aware of the growing push of bully prevention instruction in the schools. We are living in a new age where children are becoming more and more disconnected from each other and their families with the rise in technology.  In general, it is easier to say something cruel over social media than in a face to face encounter.  Schools are teaching parents and students what bully behavior looks like and encouraging that type of behavior to be reported.  Indiana, where I live, has even required that “Anti-bully Education” be taught in the the schools.  Although this is a good start, I don’t believe we are addressing the full picture.  We can tell students what bully behavior is, but without explicit instruction in kindness, compassion, and empathy, I’m afraid we are not…