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Lessons in Kindness

I don’t remember being taught about kindness in school. Reading, writing, arithmetic—yes. Kindness? Not so much.

Of course, that was many, many decades ago. Technology and curriculum have certainly changed. No more cursive? When I look at the beautiful penmanship in letters written during the 1800s and early 1900s, I sometimes wonder what we are losing in our digital age. Hopefully, with each new invention, we gain more than we lose.

One thing we have certainly gained is easier access to stories and videos. Who remembers the thrill of seeing the big reel-to-reel projector and roll-up screen wheeled into the classroom? It was an event. Lessons paused. Something special was about to happen. Teachers no longer need the projector. Today, videos are everywhere—on televisions, phones, laptops, tablets, and even on watches. We scroll through them on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Many come and go without leaving much of an impression. But a series of short videos called On the Road with Steve Hartman, a weekly feature on the CBS Evening News, has grown into something far more than entertainment. It has become a movement. It’s called Kindness 101.

I’ve long been a fan of Hartman. I usually catch his reels on YouTube or Facebook. In a media landscape often dominated by conflict and controversy, Hartman has made a career out of finding stories that restore our faith in humanity. More than once, I’ve found myself wiping away a tear while watching one of his stories unfold. They always leave me feeling just a little better about the world.

In fact, Steve Hartman has become one of my unofficial research assistants. Often when I’m looking for a topic to write about, I find myself browsing through stories I’ve saved from his broadcasts. I keep them because they touch my heart. They remind me that kindness, generosity, courage, and compassion are alive and well in the world. Over the years, many of those stories have inspired topics that eventually found their way into my Cuppa Joy.

Several years ago, during the pandemic, Hartman found himself spending more time at home with his children. He often credits all three of his children for shaping his perspective. His oldest son, George, has autism. Over the years, Hartman has spoken about the many lessons George has taught him about patience, acceptance, and seeing the world through different eyes.

Meryl and Emmett, his two youngest, began working with him to create short videos about character, compassion, and the qualities that help us become better human beings. They set up a little studio in their home and began filming.

One of the things I love most about the program is that Hartman didn’t simply teach his children these lessons. He invited them into the process. Meryl and Emmett aren’t passive listeners. They ask questions, challenge assumptions, offer observations, and occasionally provide the kind of honesty that only children can deliver. In one episode, they gently remind Steve that his hair is a bit grayer than he imagines. Children have a wonderful way of keeping us humble.

Listening to Hartman talk about his family, I am reminded that some of life’s most important teachers don’t stand at the front of a classroom. Sometimes they sit across the dinner table.

One father, two children, and a few conversations about kindness have grown into something remarkable—a partnership with Drake University’s Character Counts program. Today, those family conversations are helping shape discussions in classrooms from coast to coast. Teachers get free resource materials and thousands of students are watching and discussing topics such as empathy, gratitude, courage, respect, patience, and forgiveness. Not only are they watching videos, they are putting what they are learning into action.

What would happen if every school spent even ten minutes a day talking about these things? Looking at the response to Kindness 101, we may already be finding out. The impact of the program reaches far beyond the videos themselves. This year, a third-grade teacher named Neil Lahammer from Red Wing, Minnesota, was named the inaugural Kindness 101 CHARACTER COUNTS! Teacher of the Year. Inspired by the lessons, he created a student-led Kindness Club. Children voluntarily give up part of their recess time to organize food drives, collect winter gloves, and find ways to help people in their community.

Imagine that—children choosing service over recess, not because they were required to, but because they wanted to. Lahammer explained the secret. “There’s power because the kids, they can see themselves in the story. And they want to be like that.”

I think he’s onto something. Stories have a way of slipping past our defenses and speaking directly to the heart. We remember stories much better than statistics. When children see someone acting with courage, generosity, or compassion, they naturally begin to imagine themselves doing the same. Maybe that’s why these videos have had such an impact. They don’t lecture. They invite.

Long before there were textbooks, people learned values through stories. We remember the Good Samaritan, not because someone handed us a list of moral instructions, but because we can picture a traveler stopping to help a stranger. Stories allow us to step into another person’s shoes. They help us imagine who we might become—to imagine ourselves in their place.

Perhaps that is why teachers across the country have embraced Kindness 101 so enthusiastically. One teacher called the videos “the most treasured part of our day.” Another said they have transformed the culture of her classroom. Others describe students becoming more engaged, more thoughtful, and more willing to discuss difficult emotions and real-life challenges.

Steve Hartman never set out to create a movement. He simply did what great storytellers do. He noticed people. He paid attention. He shared stories worth telling. Then he trusted those stories to do their work. And they have.

In a world where adults often worry about what children are watching online, it’s encouraging to know that thousands of classrooms are intentionally making space for stories that bring out the best in us. We often hear that social media, technology, and screens are pulling us apart. Yet here is an example of those same tools being used to build empathy, spark conversations, and encourage service.

These lessons are for all of us, not just children. Most of us could use regular reminders about patience, compassion, forgiveness, and grace. I sure can. Maybe that’s one reason Steve Hartman’s stories resonate with so many people. Every week, Hartman goes looking for examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Then he shares their stories and trusts the rest of us to learn something from them.

I believe every person has a story. In fact, we are all storytellers. We tell ourselves stories about who we are, about other people, and about the world we live in. Those stories shape how we see life. Some leave us feeling discouraged and fearful. Others inspire hope, courage, and compassion.

What I appreciate about Steve Hartman is that he intentionally goes looking for stories that reveal humanity at its best. Not because hardship doesn’t exist, but because kindness exists too. Generosity exists. Courage exists. Love exists. His stories remind us that goodness often goes unnoticed unless someone takes the time to point it out.

Perhaps that’s why his work resonates with so many people—including me. His stories help us recognize what is possible. And sometimes, one story can inspire a kindness that inspires another kindness, and another after that. The ripple continues. That’s how movements begin—not with grand plans or sweeping programs, but with ordinary people sharing stories that awaken the best in us.

If this Cuppa Joy stirred something in you—a memory, a smile—I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.