After my 5yo’s teacher called me this morning, I had to write an email to a mom at my kids’ school today.
Something happened between our kids, and I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.
I wasn’t sure what to say, exactly.
I didn’t know if I’d express myself as I wanted to.
But I knew I needed to let her know what was going on in my head, and I needed to do it right away.
Dear Fellow Mom,
I had to tell you that today my kids got separated in the halls while everyone filed into school after the first bell. Your son found my 5yo all upset because she couldn’t find her big brother or her way to her classroom, and offered to escort her there. He handed her off to her teacher before going to his own class, making sure she was ok.
What a great kid you have there, taking someone under his wing when he saw she needed help.
Thanks for being such a good mom that your kids turn out like this!
Yours,
Kim
A 4th grade boy who pretty much never interacts with my Kindergartener daughter noticed she was scared, and helped her without prompting. I can only hope my kids are growing up to be the sort of people who would do the same thing some day.
When someone’s kid does something for yours that is so kind and out-of-the-blue, so genuine and good, you simply can’t not thank his parents for doing such a great job at their most important job.
Have you thanked a fellow parent lately?
Who do you wish you had thanked?
This makes my eyes sting a little (sure, maybe I cried at half of the Superbowl ads, so I’m kinda hormonal lately, but still–this is really touching!). I was expecting something completely different. (My own child has had some issues at preschool lately and, to my great chagrin, isn’t always nice to a particular other kid.) It’s beautiful. It does make me sad that we get surprised when kids are nice, moral, helpful, and kind….well, when people in general are.
I’m glad there’s such a nice kid that helped your daughter. And I’m sure your kids would do the same thing.
I sure hope MINE do.
I was touched when I read this, thank you! I was expecting the opposite reason for communicating with another parent. My son was bullied throughout his Kindergarten year and the teacher only caught him retaliating at the end of the day. I’m glad your daughter has such wonderful kids in her school! And glad you passed on the good word to his mother.
Nice. You probably rocked that mom’s world…in an amazing way. I’d love to do something like that, but I don’t think the school would give me anyone’s info. A little thanks can go a long way.
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This has me in tears. I can only hope that my kids would do the same thing for someone who needed help. What a thoughtful thing for you to do. I am sure you made her day and I hope I can remember to do the same thing for another mother when their kid does something nice for one of mine. Maybe if we all did it, it would make a difference.
You Know it Happens at Your House Too recently posted..How Flipping Burgers Made Me a Better Parent
One day at the grocery store my son (9) TORE down the aisle to ask me something. I todl him to stop running and had him walk next to my cart. The nest aisle an older gentleman stopped me and said- I want to tell you something your son did” and I was like OH NO! He said, I was trying to get something off the shelf and a bunch of things fell. Your son came over and picked them all up, but them aback and smiled and left. You raised a good boy.
It made my day. It REALLY made my son’s day!
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That is awesome! I certainly hope my kids would do this if they saw another kid in distress. Getting a note like that from another mom would be icing on the cake!
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Lovely. I am sure you made that mama’s day or week or month or year.
Bethany @ Bad Parenting Moments recently posted..Wash, Rinse and Repeat
This is awesome. Both what that kid did for your daughter and your response to it. In this day and age, we need more of this kind of humanity. Reminds me of that old song: “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative…”
Kristin @ What She Said recently posted..I Can’t Do Maths, But I Do Know How to Google
Awesome! How great the teacher actually called you for something done well. My calls usually consist start with “Weeell, he wasn’t looking where he was going…” Thanks for posting.
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What a wonderful thing to do. If only good was celebrated more often.
Wow. I’ve never read your blog before & only saw this bc another blogger recommended it through her link. This is great though, I was expecting something negative – I think we’re just programmed to – but how refreshing to see something positive. And yes, you are so right. You should thank a parent for doing a good job of raising a good kid, but lets not forget to thank the child. While it will mean a lot to receive praise from his/her parents, it’s also nice to receive it from others. I’ll look forward to future blogs from you
I can only imagine how that mother felt reading this. I’m so glad you told her. It’s so fulfilling to point out the good in people.
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Crafty, indeed! I clicked over thinking that you were going to share a letter about some child beating up yours on the playground or something.
This is so much better. We do forget to tell people when their kids are being good. Happily, I can tell you that I told a neighbor today that his son was so well behaved and that we loved having him over, and that he was welcome anytime.
Now to catch my own kids being good…
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That’s awesome. I want my kids to be that kid who helps the lost girl. And to answer your question, yes, I always thank moms when their child is helpful. Just recently, one of my 4th grader’s friends helped my 2nd grader get ready for his baseball tryouts. I called his mom as I watched them play in my back yard and told her how great her son was.
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Oh, I love this! That mom was probably expecting something awful- to be honest, I was worried about clicking over here b/c it seems like I’ve seen way too many moms telling another mom what she is doing WRONG rather than being positive and I didn’t know if I’d want to read what I found here.
But I’m so glad I took a chance and read this. We should all share such happy things!
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At my child’s school there is an eagle eye award. Teachers and visitors are encouraged that when they see another child doing something good, above and beyond, to write it down and put it in a comments box at the office. Every Friday, the secretaries call those children’s parents and let them know that they got the eagle eye award. I think it is so important that children are praised for the good, so many times in school we just hear the bad.
This is what I strive for. I want my girls to turn out like that. When I see them playing together and one being truly kind to the other, it makes up for the other times when they are bickering. I hope that kindness translates at school! Oh, to be a fly on the wall!
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Love this. Now to write some long-overdue emails!
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Absolutely wonderful! I was hesitant as well with the title…I thought for sure it was going to be a rant about another mother. Relieved that it was gratitude for a mom job well done!
I always ALWAYS take the time to tell or write a mom whose child has impressed me.
Actually- I have a weird rule: Whenever (like seriously- at any time wherever I am) I think something positive about the person I am seeing (stranger or not) I must tell them. “Oh you are such a SUPERmom handling all your babes in the store like you do!” “That color is just beautiful on you.” “You are doing such a fantastic job with this class.” ETC. There just are NOT enough positive things going around in this world. I like to think I share a bit of light… and many are pleasantly surprised. (Many are strangers…so very surprised!)
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Ooh, you’re sneaky. I thought it was going to be an angry post! I’m so glad it wasn’t. That kid is awesome.
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I was hesitant to read this. But I was curious as I and my daughter are experiencing some conflicts right now at school with some mean moms and students. So I was hoping it was a matter I could relate to. I’m so glad I did read it! It gives me faith that I’ve been lacking for a few days. Kudos to the young man and to his family for raising a decent kind boy. And kudos to you for your gratitude and acknowledging his good deed. Thanks for sharing!
Aw, hell. Tearing up and I’m having sinus issues so that is SO not fair.
What a sweet story. Thanks for sharing.
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Small acts of kindness! On his part and yours! What a nice thing for a young boy to do!
This is really sweet. Our world would be a different place if more people raised their kids to have empathy and to help each other.
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Wow! You probably made that mother’s whole year. What an amazing thing to do.
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I just want to say that those kinds of events bring me such joy. Thanks for sharing and for letting that parent know what goodness they helped bring to the world.
Awesome! I try to give positive feedback as much as possible, when I think about it!
I don’t know what it says about you that so many thought it was gonna be a bitchy letter. LOL, dang people, Kim ain’t that bad!
Yay! Yay for that sweet boy showing such kindness, yay for the teacher who took the time to call you and share the story, yay for you reaching out to that mom and sharing your appreciation, and yay to that mother, who deserves every bit of pride she must have felt reading your letter. Yay!
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This is wonderful. I am glad you found out about this and took the time to thank the other mom so she would know about it too. It’s nice to know when our lessons are getting through to our children. I often wonder what my boys will be like. Hopefully I will hear good things from someone someday.
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Kim- thanks for this. It inspired me to do the same. Kindness breeds kindness in kids AND adults.