Using Kind Words

Is it just me or do kids have an ingrained sense to be mean to each other when things aren't going their way?  It starts so young and appears to be a natural instinct.  One day when the older kids were having a difficult time being kind to one another I decided to change course and stopped them in their tracks.  I had them all put away they toys they were fighting over and gather at the table.  We spent the rest of their time at my house talking about how we need to use kind words to each other.  No one likes to have their feelings hurt and we all need to be accountable for how we make others feel.  They each had to draw a picture for every one of the kids that had been feuding.  They chose ideas that they thought would make the other person happy and feel good about themselves.  They actually had a blast with it.  By the end of the day they couldn't wait to hand out their drawings and describe what they had made.  My son had me hang his drawings he received on our wall.  They've even asked to do it again.  It sure is nice to see how they can come together again after disagreements.  I hope this is a little something that will help them think before they act.