Finding our way to a kinder culture―a culture that starts with our families.
Book Description
In homes and school communities nationwide, there is re-energized interest in the values of community, compassion, and tolerance, and in finding our way to a kinder culture—a culture that starts with our families. Headlines speak of hate crimes, intolerance, and us-versus-them divisiveness. Recent political events have left many Americans yearning for unity, respect, and compassion in our national discourse. In our schools, bullying continues to be a pervasive problem, and in our homes, ‘screen-time’ poses a constant threat to ‘family time.’ Research shows that connection and social engagement are key to successful, fulfilling lives, and yet we have never been less connected than we are now. Perhaps more than any other group, parents recognize the potential damage of this trend.
Our Story
Photos by Marcia Ciriello
We are both mental health professionals who have devoted our lives to working with families and children. We are a mom and grandma. We are an aunt and niece team. We share experiences from our work lives and values from our own family. We originally set out to write a book about raising charitable children. Along the way, we realized that being charitable (which we see as helping others) is not just about charity. We have observed that certain characteristics appear to be an integral part of exceptionally charitable people. We believe that with very few exceptions, each of us is born with these characteristics. We can learn to recognize and pay attention to how we incorporate them into our daily life and nurture them in our children. These concepts are vital to living a caring and purposeful life. We hope The Kindness Advantage will help your whole family discover ways to make a positive impact in the world.
Events & Appearances
Kindness, Questions and Caregiving: Practical Ways to Facilitate More Compassionate Communication
Register Today! https://helloorion.org/events/orion-nyc-chapter-meeting-7/ May 10, 2023 Orion NYC/NNJ (In-Person Meeting) 9:30am – 11am EST Host: Dr. Dale Atkins Caregiving often requires difficult conversations throughout the care journey. We can better […]
The Future Fight Against Extremism and For Democracy
Please RSVP here: https://connecticut.adl.org/event/future-fight-against-extremism-and-for-democracy/
“Kindness” Conversation for Parents Nursery Schoolers
Christ Church Nursery School “Kindness” Conversation for Parents of Nursery Schoolers 254 East Putnam Avenue Greenwich, CT 9:30 AM EST, January 27th 2023 For more information about Christ Church in […]
Interview: Voice of Islam Radio (UK)
October 13, 2022 12:40pm – 1pm EST Dr. Dale Atkins will be a guest on the Voice of Islam Radio. The topic will be lying. About Voice of Islam The […]
Interview with Carmen Rita Wong – Author, Finance Expert, CNBC Television Host
Carmen Rita Wong might be best known as a personal finance expert and television host on CNBC, but the author and media personality is also an expert on family secrets. […]
Interview with Carmen Rita Wong at Athena Books in Old Greenwich
September 20th @ 6:30 pm -7:30 pm Interview with Carmen Rita Wong – Author, Finance Expert, CNBC Television Host Open to the public! Address Athena Books 228 Sound Beach Ave, […]
Endorsements
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Author and Founder, Positive Parenting Solutions
The Kindness Advantage by Dale Atkins, PhD, and Amanda Salzhauer, MSW is exactly what we need more of right now. With empowering examples and science-based truths, Dale and Amanda share what it takes to foster kindness, empathy, compassion, and heart in our families. Parents will learn how to take on social questions and connect in a way that will improve the lives of their children and help create a more nurturing world. Highly recommended!
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President Emerita, Teachers College Columbia University
The Kindness Advantage is the perfect book. Building on scientific evidence about developing aspects of kindness, such as empathy, it gives clear, practical advice to parents and suggests engaging activities and stories for children. Nothing could be more important today than increasing compassion and decreasing polarization and acrimony. I am going to give this book to my son who has a young daughter.
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Author, We Plan, God Laughs
Before we expect kindness from others, we have to nurture it in ourselves. Thanks to The Kindness Advantage we now have the recipe to raise children that better the world not because of what they have done, but because of who they are. And, in the process, we can learn to become kinder people in an often divisive and complicated world.
Press
Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books Podcast
Amanda Salzhauer, THE KINDNESS ADVANTAGE 2019-09-26 iOS Android Share Amanda Salzhauer, MSW, is the coauthor, along with Dale Atkins, PhD, of The Kindness Advantage: Cultivating Compassionate and Connected Children, Everyday Ideas for Raising […]
10 Books for Parents Who Want to Raise Kind Kids
10 Books For Parents Who Want To Raise Kind Kids These parenting books emphasize emotional intelligence, empathy and respect for others. ByCaroline Bologna 09/03/2019 05:45am EDT Raising kids who will […]