Kids are good little people.

[PilsnPinkysMom]

I just wanted to share a little story that made my heart happy.

Yesterday I was walking with students back to our school after a field trip a few blocks away. We were approaching a street corner where a homeless man was sitting, holding a sign, looking awfully bedraggled. All of the students looked away and avoided eye contact with the man, who was not pestering the kids or encroaching on their space. The light soon turned and the kids headed across the intersection, but as the 'don't walk' signal started to flash I heard one student yell out, " 'M' just ran across the street!!!" I looked over my shoulder to see a young 7th grade boy dash across the intersection and initiate conversation with the homeless man. He pulled a bag of pretzels out of his bookbag, handed them to the gentleman, high-fived, and dashed back across the street.

I was a bit flustered because of his darting back-and-forth across of the intersection and asked him why he bolted from the group. He said something to the effect of, "I didn't mean to run off, but I remembered I didn't finish all of my lunch today. I'm not hungry anymore...so I thought I'd share with someone who was." It was such a simple, genuine, non-judgmental act of kindness that totally made my day. Kids are good people.

(And I'm glad my student didn't get hit by a car )

 

[vespergirl]

What a fantastic story. Kids are amazing, aren't they?

I live in an affluent suburb of DC in VA, and a few weeks ago, my son & I were in a local park. There was a homeless man sitting under a tree. He wasn't intoxicated or bothering anyone, he was just looking for a place to sit & rest. Well, there was another family in the park, and I guess they called the police, because FIVE police cars pulled up, and then they immediately scurried off. The cops went over to talk to the man, and forced him to move on. It really saddened me, because he wasn't talking to the children at the playground or anything, he was just sitting in the park off by himself, as anyone who isn't breaking a law is entitled to do. My 3 year old son noticed that I got upset when I saw this happen, and he asked me why the police made that man leave. I told him, "It's because that man doesn't have a place to live, so they don't want him to stay here." My son replied, "So why don't they just build him a house to live in?"

It's amazing the way that children see the world, annd as you mentioned, are not judgmental of others.

I was so disgusted that the exorbitant tax dollars that we pay to live in our "good school district" community go to having police harrass the homeless who aren't bothering anyone. Seriously, FIVE cop cars?!?!? Talk about overkill ...

 

[AGBF]

He pulled a bag of pretzels out of his bookbag, handed them to the gentleman, high-fived, and dashed back across the street.

Fabulous story, PPM! Thank you!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

My son replied, "So why don't they just build him a house to live in?"

...and you have a loving son, vesper. But that doesn't surprise me. It takes being loved, to be a loving child. Good work!

Deb/AGBF

 

[Autumnovember]

I just wanted to share a little story that made my heart happy.

Yesterday I was walking with students back to our school after a field trip a few blocks away. We were approaching a street corner where a homeless man was sitting, holding a sign, looking awfully bedraggled. All of the students looked away and avoided eye contact with the man, who was not pestering the kids or encroaching on their space. The light soon turned and the kids headed across the intersection, but as the 'don't walk' signal started to flash I heard one student yell out, " 'M' just ran across the street!!!" I looked over my shoulder to see a young 7th grade boy dash across the intersection and initiate conversation with the homeless man. He pulled a bag of pretzels out of his bookbag, handed them to the gentleman, high-fived, and dashed back across the street.

I was a bit flustered because of his darting back-and-forth across of the intersection and asked him why he bolted from the group. He said something to the effect of, "I didn't mean to run off, but I remembered I didn't finish all of my lunch today. I'm not hungry anymore...so I thought I'd share with someone who was." It was such a simple, genuine, non-judgmental act of kindness that totally made my day. Kids are good people.

(And I'm glad my student didn't get hit by a car )

This warmed my heart big time.

 

[yssie]

That really is a lovely story

 

[Tuckins1]

What a sweet boy!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

This story made my heart happy, too--thank you for sharing. I could take a lesson from that 7th grader!

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

I'm glad you gals enjoyed the story. I keep thinking that I should send a little note or e-mail home to his parents to let them know about the kind gesture. Parents only ever hear about the negative things their kids do. We need to send positive notes home every now and again.

Vesper: If only everyone thought like a 3 year old. I'm often too quick to judge, but comments like the one made by your son or my student remind me to keep more of an open heart and open mind. It's clear that you teach your little one about compassion, empathy and love!

 

[tigian]

These stories made me so happy!

 

[geckodani]

That's fantastic. Kids really are good people.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Brought a tear to my eye-great story, great kid

 

[oranges]

that is a beautiful story-- children are so pure hearted. what a wonderful child!!!

 

[partgypsy]

This is totally off topic, but they have a beautiful, more poetic way of looking at the world. I asked my younger daughter if she wanted to walk the dog with me, and pointing to the strawberries she was eating asked "but what will happen to my beautiful snacks?"

 

[random_thought]

Great story pils, I loved it

 

[princesss]

Great story! Thanks for sharing, Pils.