How School Kids Can Choose Kindness In Memory Of Dolly

It’s been two years of turmoil for school kids, who are desperate to get back to their friends. So this year, as kids (hopefully) head back for a fabulous year of fun and learning, they’re being asked to spread kindness.

And it’s as simple as using their pocket money to buy a Choose Kindness keyring from Smiggle for just $2. Not only will the keyring be a daily reminder to be kind, but the proceeds are being donated to Dolly’s Dream.

Dolly’s Dream was started by Kate and Tick Everett, after they lost their beautiful 14-year-old daughter Dolly to suicide, after ongoing bullying. The devastated parents wanted to make a positive impact by changing the culture of bullying and help support children suffering from the impacts of bullying.

Choose Kindness Dolly's Dream keyring

The organisation helps to support schools and provides educational resources to parents as well as providing a free counselling service.

“We’re asking Australian kids to use their pocket money to buy a keyring, and maybe one for a friend, and display them on their bag as a tangible reminder to be kind throughout the year,” Dolly’s Dream manager, Stephen Bendle, said.

“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.”

Choose Kindness Dolly's Dream pledge

Kids are also being asked to take the Kindness Pledge in Smiggle stores, and get their free Kindness Certificate. It’s the perfect time to talk to kids about bullying and cyber bullying, as they head back to school. For some children, school can be a place of fear, rather than inclusiveness and learning.

“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,”said psychologist and Advisory Board Member of Dolly’s Dream, Dr Charlotte Keating.

If you, or someone you know is struggling, they can get confidential help from a trained counsellor on the Dolly’s Dream Support Line: 0488 881 033.

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24 Comments

- - mom101628 said
  - 17 Jul 2022
    4:11 pm
Such a terrific way to help fund Dolly’s Dream by the children themselves at whom this charity is targeting to stop bullying in school and on the various media platforms that children use these days. Do hope that the charity receives a lot of funds and children stop and think every time they see the key ring. Thanks for the post.

- - Zmijka86 said
  - 05 Feb 2022
    8:30 pm
Such a great initiative. Well done

- - smart_ass said
  - 31 Jan 2022
    2:45 pm
Beautiful keyring

- - tessie said
  - 25 Jan 2022
    6:31 pm
This is a wonderful way to tell bullying to go take a hike and a lovely way to remember such a traumatised young girl who’s only way out was to commit suicide. It makes me so sad that kids can be so cruel.

- - jrobin260 said
  - 20 Jan 2022
    11:17 am
I absolutely love this. I hope that this kindness initiative spreads throughout our community and we can share smiles instead of frowns under our masks.

- - mom223151 said
  - 18 Jan 2022
    11:15 pm
What a lovely incentive to teach kids about empathy, caring for others and helping others in times of need. It actually brought tears to my eyes.
God Bless and keep helping????????????❤️????

- - rovermum said
  - 17 Jan 2022
    9:48 am
Such a fantastic initiative. Great to see brands that promote good behaviour and kindness. There needs to be more kindness in the world and it is not hard to choose kindness. It is a choice. Bullying is a choice. And we need to rid our schools and the world of it.

- - mom169205 said
  - 17 Jan 2022
    7:44 am
Such a lovely idea I’ll be doing this, such a nice reminder to everyone to teach there children to be kind, it’s heartbreaking to again see me 4 year old upset after asking children if they want to play to be met with no there sure are some mean kids out there and im surprised at how young this behaviour starts.

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 16 Jan 2022
    9:28 pm
Anything that helps people to remember to be kind, is good.

- - cassy26 said
  - 16 Jan 2022
    10:34 am
I’ll be taking my kids in to do this! Such a good initiative.

- - mom466291 said
  - 15 Jan 2022
    4:43 pm
Fab idea

- - joni64 said
  - 15 Jan 2022
    1:21 pm
All these things appear to work but ultimately there’s been no reduction in bullying that i can see from when my eldest son started Kinder in 2002 till now when my youngest starts High School. The opposite is true, the internet has made bullying far, far worse!

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 15 Jan 2022
    8:18 am
That’s a great idea- I’ll definitely encourage my kids to do this.

- - Forgetful Mumma said
  - 15 Jan 2022
    12:16 am
What a worthy cause and touching way to remember someone. Bullying is a huge problem that needs a lot more attention at all levels. So sorry for their loss

- - mom457867 said
  - 14 Jan 2022
    11:14 pm
This is beautiful and a great idea. I find kids are more aware of Bullying and its impacts, but repetition is key.