Random act of kindness

[Hoopin' Mama]

I was out doing errands this morning with DS and it was not going well. We were both very tired. So he's misbehaving to high heaven in the grocery store, our last stop, and I'm seriously about to lose it. It was very crowded and I didn't think anyone was paying attention to us, except for the fact that DS was not pushing his little car around nicely. (Trader Joes).

A man, probably in his late 50's, came up to me smiling and said, "I just wanted to tell you that even though your boy looks like quite a handful right now, he is obviously very bright." He went on to say something along the lines of yes it's a rough day but your kid is awesome.

Just having someone acknowledge me during that time completely turned me around. My stern face turned into a smile and it was like it breathed new life into me.

I will remember to do that for someone sometime.

[tanyam926]

Right on!

One day I was at an office store and my kiddos were touching everything! I HAD to get something faxed and it was taking forever. I remember feeling really frustrated bc I was trying to keep my boys near me and avoid a meltdown w/the ds3.

The cashier told me what a patient and wonderful mom I was and it really made my whole day.

[GuildJenn]

That's so great.

When my son was newly potty trained he had an accident on the floor in line at the grocery store, a little puddle under him (I mean, ew). He was mortified and to be honest so was I.

The cashier was so kind and got us some paper towels & disinfecting wipes without any huffing or anything and the woman behind us told my son it was okay and happens to everyone "either when they're very young, or very old" and that he was a really big boy for being out of diapers.

It's amazing how nice people can be.

[faithsstuff]

I had one of these moments for the first time last week. I took ds into five guys with me to order some burgers and stuff. He was great while we were waiting for food. As soo as we got outside he bolted for the street. So now I have a bag of hot food in one arm, diaper bag on the other and am doing the 'toddler pull'- you know, when you're afraid their arm is gonna pop out. He decided to throw himself down on the sidewalk and tantrum like a champ. This is a busy outdoor shopping mall. I'm just standing there waiting for him to wear out and ppl are passing pointing and laughing. Actually pointing.

Up walks this couple and the lady gentle reaches down takes ds' hand and says 'you're such a big boy, let me help you walk with mommy'. Now ds is shocked into silence, and I am silently thanking anything that may be listening. Her husband chuckles and says they never know what to do when someone else is watching. They walked him to my car and held his hands while I got everything situated. They didn't stay to chat or offer any unsolicited 'words of wisdom'. They turned my day around, if I knew who they were I'd send them flowers.

[madskye]

This summer DD and I went to the beach in the afternoon and it was just bad...she was miserable and getting nastier and nastier and after a few chances to turn things around I just gave up and said we were going home. I had a chair, umbrella, bag of sand toys and towels and a screaming 5 year old who wouldn't follow me and threw herself face down in the sand. So I dropped the stuff and scooped her up and ran her out to the car, buckled her in, had a little meltdown myself and then realized that I still needed to go back down on the beach and get all my stuff. And she is still freaking out. And I can't leave her in the car in the 90+ heat, even for a few minutes because most likely someone would call the police. So I pulled the car up to the gate of the beach and at that point I was ready to cry...and there was a nice older lady standing at the entrance, with all my stuff in a neat pile. And she said

"My daughter told me not to interfere, but I thought you looked like you could use some help. I remember how hard it is to try to do the beach all alone."

And then I cried! I don't know what I would have done without that lady.

[Pavlovs]

All these stories are wonderful!

A few months ago, I was with my mom and 5 year old at Costco, and of course there is the obligatory rule that we must get a treat at their "restaurant" after the shopping trip. So we are sitting there and my son was misbehaving in some way, I can't remember. But I talked to him, reminding him about manners and such. On the way out, my mom told me that when I got up to get napkins, an older lady sitting near us had complimented her on me - on the way I handled my misbehaving son. It was especially nice because she hadn't even said it to me, so it felt truly genuine. I am still looking for a time to pay it forward.

[Latte Mama]

Nice strangers are great! I posted about the lovely grandma lady that helped my DS snap out of a major meltdown at the pool this summer. Awesome lady!

[zinemama]

Once I was on a plane with my cranky 2yo. I was convinced the whole plane was hating us because of his whining.

The flight attendant approached. "Give him to me," she said. Desperate for a break, I handed him over. She took him to the back of the plane and a couple of minutes later, the two of them came walking down the aisle, passing out napkins together. He was having a blast and the passengers got a kick out of it. It turned his mood around completely.

I've always regretted not getting her name and writing to the airline to commend them on a terrific employee.

[Tway]

I don't have a story to add (yet!), but wanted to thank you, mamas, for sharing. Such heartwarming stories--they brought tears to my eyes!

[Limabean1975]

These are wonderful stories! I'll add my own.

Last winter, I had signed DS, 4yo, sup for swim lessons at the Y. He'd had lessons before, but not in a while, and at a different pool. He was nervous, which turned into very anxious, and ended up with him sobbing and shaking at the side of the pool (with a very unhelpful teacher, ugh). I took him in to the changeroom, out of the lesson early, and had a chat with him about fears, new activities, teachers and their different approaches/personalities...I can't even remember what I was saying, but another Mom with a 5 months old, approach, sit down beside us, and tell me that she really admired how I was dealing with the situation, and hoped that she could do the same when her baby got older. Then she explained that she had taken some courses and worked with developmentally challenged people, and that according to her education and experience, I was doing everything just right.
It was so incredibly affirming, and so sweet of her to take the time to talk to me.

Smaller, but great learning experience for DS - just last week I was out walking with DD(16months) in the stroller and DS. Once, a gust of wind blew his hat out just beyond the "safe zone" into a busy street. While I was getting the stroller onto the sidewalk and admonishing DS not to go after his hat, a fellow pedestrian retrieved it for us. Later, a container with the scraps of our snacks in it was taken out into a busy street by wind (it was a very windy day!). Again, a fellow pedestrian saw the issue (honestly, I was ready to say goodbye to that container, unlike with the hat), and grabbed it for us. Such little things, but DS really noticed and talked a bit about how nice people are.

[meemee]

as a single mom if i had to write down all that we have received it would take a book to write it all down.

i have had so so so so many from complete strangers let alone my friends.

sometimes its as simple as a smile, sometimes its so much more.

those were one of the things that kept me going when everything in life was collapsing.

when you are such a recipient you cant help but get in that same mind frame yourself.

[WifeMomChiro]

All these stories are so sweet. Many of them brought tears to my eyes.

We were at Costco when DD was 3 and she had a full blown tantrum complete with flailing and kicking on the floor. There was no reasoning with her at that point and she wasn't in anyone's way, so I just stood aside while she finished her fit. A woman walked by and laughed. She quickly came back and said, "I'm so sorry that I laughed. I hope I didn't offend you. I was just thanking my lucky stars that I just gave my grandkids back to my daughter. We've all had those moments with kids. She'll get over it in a minute."

[Kidzaplenty]

[DaughterOfKali]

These restore my faith in people.

[Hoopin' Mama]

Thanks for sharing these great stories