Can kindness encourage a healthy lifestyle (guest post)?

Kids watch. Kids become what we tell them they are.

Please to welcome Tara.  I invited her here today to share a story about her child and about kindness. 

It’s a reminder we big people types always need…

I’m not one to say “Hey, Look what my kid did”, but I saw someone’s request about kindness stories and got to thinking, can Acts of Kindness promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle?

So I’m going to give you a little “kindness” story.

We have some neighbors who have 3 boys, just like us.

Their oldest has some special needs and has attended, until recently, a school for kids who do not function well in public school.

His Mom told me she was putting “S” in public middle school and asked if my oldest could come over and help alleviate some anxieties they were all having.

Now, if you know, have, or have had a 12 year old boy, who thinks he’s 17 already, you know that sometimes when you ask for help, there is an eye roll involved.

Luke can be that way. He’s generally kind and nurturing. He likes to volunteer and help.

I asked him to head over to the family’s house and maybe give a little insight to the daily routine of what 6th grade is like and what “S” could expect.

*No Eye Roll*

Off he went with no hesitation, no complaining and eager to help.

After an hour he came home and said all went well. He gave me a small snippet of their conversation and questions from the Mom and “S”.

That was it, or so I thought.

While Luke was at a BSA Troop meeting, I went for a run. Then my phone rang.

It was our neighbor mom.

Her words to me were: “Luke has put most of our fears to rest. His kindness and empathy towards “S” knowing his issues were exactly what we needed. We all feel better about school tomorrow. Luke has volunteered to meet us early and walk us to where we need to be”.  There were some things he said to “S”, that Hubby and I have said to all 3 boys, and Luke reiterated those thoughts. He WAS actually listening to us.

We were at school 30 minutes earlier than usual the next. He took “S”, Mom, and Grandma to the 6th grade office, made introductions and when “S” got his schedule, Luke took him around the school.

Now, this is not terribly surprising because I know how kind Luke can be.

But there is no personal gain for him.

He’s walking around school with a child who will not know anyone, is not athletic, and has some behavior issues.

My kid has a complex about people not liking him, is he good enough, always wanting to be what people need him to be. [He is so very much like his mother it’s not even funny *insert MY eye roll*]

Luke introduced him to his lunch friends and they had lunch together the 1st week, then “S” had some friends he chose to sit with.

Luke checks on “S” periodically (they have no classes together) to make sure he’s dealing with middle school ok.

I asked Luke about his involvement. He jumped on this opportunity quickly, even though he and “S” are not great friends. He told me, “It’s feels good to help”.

He said, he may not be into sports or in a club at school, but he likes to help others. It makes him happy. He feels true JOY in being kind to others.

He said “It makes my heart and my head feel the same”.

This opportunity was made possible by a phone call.

A hope for a change in someone’s life. A chance for personal growth.

Opportunities for Acts of Kindness [random or not] foster good will, they make the other person happy and they make you happy.

They can promote a healthy lifestyle and allow valuable lessons.