Random Acts of Kindness

“love your neighbor as yourself. . .”

in Process. . .

At Home:

Clean up your child's room.
Clean up your child's room while they are gone to school. Give them a break from the responsibility. Leave a note that says, "A clean room presented to you by. . . "

Fix their favorite meal
Fix your child's favorite meal just because. Pass things to them first and make it a special meal just for them.

At the Workplace:
Take treats to co-workers.
Bring donuts, stop by and get ice cream treats, bring something you baked for your co-workers. 

Express thanks to vendors.
If you regularly deal with vendors, such as advertising agencies, printers, free-lance workers, express your thanks for their extra effort through a card or by taking them a bag of candy.  Include a note with a bag of sweettarts that says "You're a sweetheart for getting the job done so quickly." Or, a bag of Hershey's Hugs with a note that says, "Here's a hug for the extra effort with the printing job."

Take a co-worker to lunch.
If you are having an especially difficult time understanding a co-worker, take them to lunch.  Don't talk about problems or difficulties. Don't have an "agenda" in mind other than letting them know you appreciate them. Make a point NOT to talk about work.

Go the extra mile.
If your supervisor asks you to type a letter by 5 p.m., try to have it done by 4 p.m. If he or she asks you to get a job done and unexpected interruptions interfere, stay late to get it done or come in later and get it done. 

Ask if you can help.
If you have your work done and another co-worker is struggling to meet a deadline, don't go to your desk and call your friend to talk. Offer to help your co-worker, even if they never help you.

Give compliments.
Let both your male and female co-workers hear your compliments. Say things like, "That was a very wise comment you made during staff meeting. You are such a fast and accurate typist. Your presence really brightens up the office. Your suggestion really made a difference in the way I wrote that article."

Be the office secret pal.
Leave special gifts for co-workers with typed notes attached. Pick a co-worker each week and leave a gift a day on their desk. It can as simple as a piece of gum, a new pencil, a candy bar, a soda. Have fun finding the right time to leave the gift when no one else will see you.

At School:
Bring your child's teacher a soda.
Especially during parent/teacher conferences. Try taking the teacher their favorite soda (hint most female teachers drink diet soda) when you know they've had a long day of talking non-stop. It gives them a moment to relax with you and puts you on a peer-to-peer basis.

Send your child's teacher a card or a note of appreciation.
Send a card to her home address telling her you appreciate the time she takes with your child.  Include a scripture verse and tell her you're praying for her.

Pray for your child's teacher.
Pray for her patience, strength, wisdom, understanding and knowledge to be increased. Pray that she will have special insight into your child's needs.

Eat lunch with your child.
Bring a special treat for lunch, like homemade cookies, or stop by McDonald’s and bring them their favorite lunch. Take it to school and eat with them. 

Put notes in your child's lunch.
Be creative. Tell your child one thing you appreciate about them. Include a scripture verse and the fact that you're praying for them.

Volunteer at school.
Volunteer for lunchroom duty, in your child's classroom, as office help. Do it on a regular basis or try drop-in volunteering. When you have an hour or two, drop into the school office and ask if there's anything you can do to help.

Take treats to the school office staff.
Take a batch of cookies or a box of candy for the school office staff for no reason. Include a note that says you appreciate them.

At Church:
For your friends and in your neighborhood, bake cookies.
Put them in box with a note attached that says, "Thanks for being my neighbor." Leave on their doorstep or put them in a plastic bag and hang it on their mailbox or on the doorknob. You can sign the card if you wish or try not signing the card and see if they say anything.

Mow your neighbor's lawn.
If you have an older neighbor or a live by a single working mother, mow their lawn for them.  Leave them a note that says, "I wanted to do something for you because you're such a great neighbor. Thanks for letting me serve you."

Keep your yard mowed.
Keep your own yard mowed and free of trash and debris. Keeping your own area clean will reflect positively on your neighborhood.

Offer a meal.
When a neighbor has a new baby, has to go into the hospital or has a death in the family, ask which night you can fix dinner. Then take a casserole, salad and dessert for the family.

In the Community:
Watch your driving etiquette.
When someone cuts you off in traffic, don't yell and give them an obscene gesture. Smile and send positive energy their way–maybe even say a prayer that God will help them have a better day.

Yield to other drivers.
Make space for other drivers trying to get in to a left turn lane or trying to get into traffic from a side-street.

Make conversation with cashiers.
Ask them how their day is going. Comment on their blouse or shirt. Treat them like real people, rather than your servants. Say a word of appreciation as you leave.

Give away a penny (or several. . .
In the convenience store when they have a place for you to leave a penny for change purposes, clean out your pennies and leave them.

Be a hospital clown.
Dress up like a clown and go to the children's ward.  Spend time talking with the kids and cheering them and their parents up. 

Provide an ER change box.
Provide a box of change for your local Emergency Room.  Keep it stocked with quarters and tell the staff they can make change available for sodas and other snacks to those waiting in the ER.  You might print the name of your church or organization on the box:  "Change provided by Grover Park Baptist Church Youth Sunday School Class" or whatever. . .

Send us your ideas and we'll add them to these!  bob@artfulaskers.com