What the World Needs Now… | #forbetterbeginnings

***This post has been sponsored by PlaytexBaby™.  As always, all of the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Kozy & Co

This isn’t another post about politics. It’s not a post about race, or religion, or even women’s rights. There are plenty of people out there who are more knowledgable, and far more capable of writing about those topics then I am. This is a post about a topic that I am a little more well-versed in, motherhood. I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert on this subject either, but I’ve certainly logged the hours.

Our world has felt a bit chaotic lately. There is a lot of negativity and anger being put out into the universe at the moment. I’m not going to turn a blind eye to what is going on, and even though the urge is there, I’m pretty sure that sheltering my children from it all isn’t the answer either. What I can do as a parent, is provide my babies with a foundation full of kindness, a “better beginning”, if you will. I can instill in them my ideal of the proper values, so that as they grow, they continue to develop their own thoughts, opinions, and beliefs to enter the “real world” with. I can teach them how amazing it feels to be a good person, and how rewarding it is to do for, and to give to others. As a #PlaytexMom, my greatest responsibilities are to nurture my children, to protect them to the best of my ability, and to love them fiercely. It is up to me (and my husband) to raise them in the best way that we see fit, and to teach them as much as we can about life.

What our world needs more than anything at the moment, is LOVE. Even the smallest, most random acts of love and kindness can make a difference, and I want my kids to see that and to feel it. Our world is not an unkind place, there is a lot of good out there, so I have made it my mission to teach my kids about how they can contribute to that goodness. February is all about the love, so this got the wheels turning. It got me thinking, what can we do to spread some love? What can I do with my kids to teach them a little life lesson about being kind and spreading joy?

We decided to dive into a little arts and crafts project, because if I do say so, it’s what we do best. For school recently, my oldest had to decorate a heart to be sent to a local nursing home. I loved this idea, and seeing as we live in close proximity to a different nursing home, I thought to myself, how fun would it be to decorate a whole bunch of hearts and then hand deliver them. This way, not only would I get to spend quality time creating something beautiful with my kids, but they would get to see firsthand the joy that they were spreading when we delivered them. I realize that this is only a small gesture, but my kids are young, and I really felt like this was a fun and effective project for teaching them about the act of doing good for others. We had a blast sitting down together and decorating our hearts, even Theo (who watched from his high chair), and I felt so proud over the excitement that they expressed when I explained to them what we were doing it for. Even though my youngest is a little too young to participate in an activity like this, I really think that children are never too young to be surrounded by love and kindness. I made it a point to explain to my older children, the importance of showing love and affection to babies too. I want them to understand that although Theo is younger than they are, from the very beginning, babies need to be surrounded by love to ensure that they feel safe and comforted. I love that because we use PlaytexBaby™ products in our home, and that because they are tested and true it’s one less thing that I have to worry about when it comes to my babies, that way I can focus on more important things like this. Despite all that is going in the world right now, having a happy and healthy baby and raising children who are well rounded and kind will always be my biggest goals as a #PlaytexMom.

I truly believe that the even most understated ways of spreading love can mean so much in today’s world. Buying a stranger’s coffee, paying for the toll of the car behind you, donating to a local food bank, showing your older kids how to nurture and help care for newer siblings… If you have children at home, let them be a part of all of this; explain to them just what it is that you are doing. Show them that small gestures can mean so much. If you can teach them to love themselves as well as others, then you are on the right path as a parent, as far as I’m concerned.

{Nurser Bottle by PlaytexBaby™}

What will you do to spread some love today?