Most of Life isn't a Football Game...

Midweek recommendation

Sometimes kindness shows up as presence, sometimes as curiosity and, at times, it’s the choice to learn, not win. And if that’s what our kids start to practice now, we’re teaching them more than how to be kind. We’re teaching them how to be open.

Because choosing to stay open, when it’s easier to shut down or walk away, isn’t just kindness. It’s courage- the kind that holds its place without needing to take the spotlight.

In last week’s post, we talked about kindness that holds firm. We also briefly explored Adam Grant’s idea of givers- the ones who ask, listen, and stay, even when no one’s watching.

This short video is an excerpt from an interview with Adam Grant, author of Give and Take. And it names something we often forget to tell our kids:

“Takers want to be the smartest person in the room. Because if they ask questions, they’re exposing vulnerability. But most of life isn’t a football game. There doesn’t have to be a loser.”

The video doesn’t talk about kindness directly, but it’s all over the edges; what Grant is really saying is: being a giver is a way of being in the world.

And giving doesn’t always mean offering help. Sometimes, it means asking a question and staying curious, or simply choosing not to walk away.

Remember, Raising kind isn’t always easy. But it’s always worth it. See you soon with the next issue of Raising Ki(n)d.