{"id":58687,"date":"2020-01-31T01:02:21","date_gmt":"2020-01-31T01:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepmaven.com\/blog\/?p=58687"},"modified":"2020-01-31T18:41:51","modified_gmt":"2020-01-31T18:41:51","slug":"kindness-and-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prepmaven.com\/blog\/preparing\/kindness-and-success\/","title":{"rendered":"How Kindness and Success Go Hand in Hand"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Kindness and Success Go Hand in Hand<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Do we teach our kids to value achievement at the expense of kindness? <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s what a recent <\/span>article in the <\/span>Atlantic Monthly<\/span><\/i><\/a> by organizational psychologist Adam Grant and writer Allison Sweet Grant asks. <\/span><\/p>\n

It caught our eye because, as both parents and educators, we, too, seek to cultivate kindness in the young people around us.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, we explore the relationship between kindness and success.<\/p>\n

We also offer insights into what compassion has to do with the college admissions process!<\/p>\n

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The Decline of Empathy<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Grants cite studies suggesting that kindness and the ability to empathize with others is <\/span>in decline among college students<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

They also cite figures suggesting that, while most parents say they want to raise caring children, most children say that their parents value <\/span>achievement and happiness<\/span><\/a> over compassion for others. <\/span><\/p>\n

The authors also mention anecdotal examples of parents who refrain from intervening when their children are selfish in their play. Why? Fear of raising children who don\u2019t know how to stick up for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kids, the Grants claim, <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201csee their peers being celebrated primarily for the grades they get and the goals they score, not for the generosity they show. They see adults marking their achievements without paying as much attention to their character. Parents are supposed to leave a legacy for the next generation, but we are at risk of failing to pass down the key virtue of kindness.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Kindness and Academic Success<\/span><\/h2>\n

This may sound a bit grim. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the great news is that this is one of those rare cases where parents can<\/em> have their cake and eat it too. <\/span><\/p>\n

As the Atlantic Monthly\u00a0<\/em>article claims, kindness and success might just go hand in hand! <\/span>The authors cite an encouraging amount of evidence suggesting that children who help others end up achieving more than children who don\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some amazing facts about the power of empathy in this respect:<\/p>\n

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