“Kind children will most likely grow up to be kind adults, so my wife and I feel a tremendous responsibility,” said Wezson. “Our kids are watching everything that we do, so we are trying our best to lead by example.”

In preparation for World Kindness Day on Nov. 13, many families in Lilongwe like the Mkomberos are doing their share to promote this rare quality in their own families.

Research has shown that instilling kindness in children from birth can lay the groundwork for healthy relationships and can teach them to cultivate respect and empathy for others.

In addition to modeling acts of kindness at home, Wezson has found the educational tools on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to be immensely helpful when teaching these valuable lessons.

The website features animated videos and printouts for family activities based on the Caleb and Sophia cartoons, two fictional characters who have become household names for many families.

Chikondi James Njewa has also relied on these family-friendly tools to teach his school-age children kindness from a young age.

“Our children love watching the ‘Be Kind and Share’ Caleb and Sophia video,” said Chikondi. “They have a real sibling camaraderie now, and that brings me so much joy.”

The Caleb and Sophia content was specifically created to help parents address the serious challenges of raising children in a hostile world, says Gift Thakwalakwa, a local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“As acts of violence continue to dominate news headlines, instilling kindness at home has never been more important,” said Thakwalakwa. “Parents can benefit from all the free tools found on jw.org to raise children who live by the words found in Acts 20:35, ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’”