We’ve all heard kids say the cutest things. Kids say things from their hearts without really thinking about the consequences of their words. Kids often speak so profoundly that adults find them cute and funny. Kids are always working on something. If you listen deeply, you’ll hear a language of hopefulness and striving, an elasticity that keeps them going and trying. Lean in and look at what they reflect back to us: Kids’ Random Acts of Kindness tell us stories of genuine care and understanding as they see it.
My favorite little book is ‘Kid’s Random Acts of Kindness; I have had this little book for a long time and look back on it often. One of my past students gave it to me as a gift, and I would like to share a couple of my favorite little stories.
A little girl was late getting home from school and her mother began to scold her, but then stopped and asked,” Why are you so late?” “I had to help another girl. She was in trouble,” “What did you do?” “Oh, I sat down and helped her cry.”
Michael in 7th grade tells us this story:
I was learning how to field a ground ball like a real infielder. My brother was like an infielder from heaven to me then. Not coming up on a short hop, watching the ball into his glove and keeping his tailgate down. His soft hands scooping up the ball like an ice cream scooper, scooping smoothly through the ice cream. When it was my turn to try, it was like I was just born. After about half an hour of ground balls I was getting the hang of it. The next Sunday at Majors tryouts I did what he told me to do. I got a call that night saying I was on the Pirates. I’d made it to the Majors! If it weren’t for my big brother, I don’t know where I’d be right now!
The little school where I taught for a long time encouraged the children to help each other, if I was out doing yard duty we would have a student guide another student to the office if they had fallen or gotten hurt on the play ground. It was so cute to watch as several students wanted to help the little, hurt, student to the office, one on each side, it was priceless to watch.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was given the prestige of writing the forward to this little book and she tells us that Kids’ Random Acts of Kindness allows us to take a small but very important first step, that of extending one hand to another and in turn, making kindness a regular part of our lives. It is written in Isaiah that “a little child shall lead them.” May we all follow the example of these children.
Source: Kids’ Random Acts of Kindness by, Conari Press.
