Creating a culture of compassion for a better Bangladesh

Kindness is often seen as the key to a better world, yet it can feel like a rare commodity. While small acts of kindness brighten our days, we need a society where kindness is constant. How can we foster this on a larger scale?

True kindness starts early and grows with compassion. When some children seem "mean" or distant, it’s often because they’re struggling with emotions like self-doubt or anxiety. Kids who can't be kind to themselves find it hard to extend kindness to others. Left unchecked, this emotional pain drains their energy and empathy—leading to people-pleasing habits that harm their mental health as adults.

Childhood experiences—especially those in school—shape who we become as adults. Schools, therefore, have a responsibility to nurture not only academic skills but also emotional well-being and compassion. This can be achieved by teaching children to be kind to themselves and others through counseling services, parenting workshops, and social-emotional learning programs, all crucial for mental health.

In Bangladesh, integrating SEL into school curricula is essential. SEL helps develop life skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship-building, and responsible decision-making. These skills support academic success and contribute to emotional well-being—critical for lifelong success. SEL teaches children how to handle challenges with compassion, form meaningful relationships, and foster supportive communities, promoting resilience and kindness.

Research shows that children with strong emotional intelligence are better equipped to handle stress, make responsible decisions, and navigate relationships. This creates more harmonious environments, both at school and in society. Promoting SEL helps children thrive as global citizens.

Young children deserve environments where they can talk openly about their fears and worries without judgment. Normalizing conversations about emotions empowers children to build communities where everyone feels heard and valued. Regular counseling and interactive workshops—teaching emotion management and helping adolescents understand their developmental changes—are essential for this. Raising awareness about mental health and dismantling stigma ensures children grow up to be empathetic and kind.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Kindness begins in the heart, grows in the family, and transforms the world.” While schools play a critical role, this work must continue at home. Involving parents in their children's emotional growth ensures a strong, supportive foundation.

One effective way to engage parents is through specialized parenting workshops that focus on understanding their children’s emotional needs. These workshops help parents create nurturing environments at home. For example, the parenting workshops I have conducted at Glenrich International School have shown significant results:

• Pre-Primary school parents reported a 23 per cent increase in awareness of their parenting style and a 24 per cent boost in understanding behavior-shaping techniques.

• Primary school parents saw a 39 per cent increase in confidence to create a positive home environment, a 42 per cent gain in understanding their child's social and emotional development, and a 61 per cent boost in teaching conflict resolution and social skills.

• Middle and Secondary school parents experienced a 48 per cent rise in awareness of their parenting style, a 19 per cent increase in managing adolescent relationships, and a 76 per cent increase in understanding adolescent physical, emotional, and cognitive changes.

These results highlight the profound impact of parenting workshops in supporting children's mental well-being.

On this World Kindness Day, let’s focus on the mental well-being of our children. By breaking the stigma around mental health and fostering emotional intelligence, we can transform small acts of kindness into life-changing actions. Teaching children to be kind to themselves and others helps create a compassionate, supportive world. Let’s make kindness part of our daily lives—so the next generation of Bangladesh grows up in a society that values empathy, understanding, and mutual respect.

The writer is a Student Counselor at Glenrich International School Satarkul, Dhaka and can be reached at farheen.khan@satarkul.glenrich.edu.bd.