Following two years of severely disrupted school and home life, Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream are asking Australian kids to choose kindness when they head back to school for 2022.
To help spread the message, Dolly’s Dream and Smiggle have created a co-branded Choose Kindness keyring to be sold to raise funds for the anti-bullying organisation as part of its ongoing partnership supporting young people and parents.
The Choose Kindness keyrings are just $2 and available from Smiggle stores all over Australia and online from Thursday 13 January 2022, with the proceeds from the keyrings sold donated to Dolly’s Dream.
Dolly’s Dream General Manager, Stephen Bendle, said the key rings are a tangible reminder to be kind throughout the year.
“The hope is that sharing this message of choosing kindness reminds all kids to look after their friends and classmates, to be kind and to speak even if their voice shakes.”
Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream are also encouraging Australian families to take the Kindness Pledge in Smiggle stores and receive a free Kindness Certificate.
The Choose Kindness campaign is part of fulfilling the vision of Dolly’s Dream, to bring a cultural change around the issue of bullying.
Dr Charlotte Keating, psychologist and Advisory Board Member of Dolly’s Dream, said the beginning of the school year is ideal for gently opening up the lines of conversation with your child to encourage trust and confidence.
“After the last couple of years, young people are online more than ever before, and awareness and prevention of bullying has never been as important. No one deserves to be bullied or hurt,” Dr Keating said.
She also said talking to parents or another trusted adult is one of the best ‘first steps’ for stopping bullying.
“With one in five Australian young people reporting being socially excluded, threatened or abused online and 55 per cent of those seeking help from their parents, it’s vital that your children know you will listen calmly and without judgement – and support them,” she said.
“Research shows that young people who perceive their parents as loving and supportive are less likely to cyber bully, for example.
“We can teach our children to treat others how they would like to be treated – with kindness.”