Kindness Is A Tool

When my twin sons were five years old and in infant school, I would take them to school every morning. I was an involved parent. Our classroom was overcrowded with only one teacher. Their class had more boys than girls. It would be an issue for an inexperienced teacher.

I think she had a little experience, but handling a small classroom with more than thirty, five-year-old children, wasn’t an easy task. Each child had a different personality. They were from different backgrounds, and religions too. This was a lot for one teacher to handle, five days per week.

Taking the time to know each personality demands time. Having one teacher to educate more than thirty, five year olds, was a lot too.

But this was normal in my world.

Jamaican classrooms are overcrowded. Some Primary schools have more than fifty children in a classroom and only one teacher. One teacher per classroom is our policy. That teacher managed to do a good job despite whatever issues she faced daily. Teachers are strong in my culture.

Discipline is valuable in my world and at home. I don’t play with my kids when it comes to manners and respect. It is demanded and enforced.

Children in schools in my world who are respectful and disciplined will be favored and looked out for. The disrespectful ones, don’t get a lot of play. That includes kindness and consideration.

I went to pick up my sons one evening from school and one of them was hurt. I was mad as an angry swarm of bees whose hive had just been disturbed by a hungry bear.

It’s my maternal instinct to protect my son.

The school should have called me ahead of time.

No parent wants to go to pick up their child from school and find out that their children were hurt and no one bothered to notify them.

Schools are one of the safest places in Jamaica. Our world is changing. It’s different in some countries.

I went in with anger, as I talked to my son. He explained that he was playing and a child pushed him and he fell, hurting his right hand. Thank God he was left-handed. He went on to explain further how one of the office workers, assisted him. How she took care of him for the day and he didn’t feel a lot of pain after she did what she did to help ease the pain.

He disclosed how she helped him, by putting ice on his hand. How she stayed with him to ensure that he was ok. She showed him how to apply the ice and when to remove it. The effort she took to make sure he was ok and pain-free for the day, melted my anger.

Her kindness was like the medication that healed my son. Children are so amazing when it comes to love and kindness.

I exercised his right hand, to ensure he wasn’t in pain and I didn’t have to take him to the doctor. He said he wasn’t in any pain. I was reading his emotion and facial expression, unknown to him, as I exercised his right hand.

He stared into my eyes as I worked on his hand. He was fine.

I didn’t know her, but I found out that the children called her Auntie Donna. She worked in the office.

She found a friend in me. Anyone who helps or shows kindness to my children will find a friend in me. She made my day and my son’s.

Come Teacher’s Day, she got her gift. She was a teacher of kindness. Thanks to her, my son got a taste and real understanding of the value of kindness. I also found ways and areas to teach my son to show her appreciation. Today, he has a kind heart and it is shown in his actions, choices, decisions, and intentions. I made sure they never forget the kindness they get from anyone and demand that they return it. If they can’t return it to whom they got it from, then give it back to our world.

Aunt Donna's tiny act of kindness changed my son into a better human.

Kindness is involuntary for many of us, as I educate my children on its value because it pays us back like a salary.

Our world can do without the unkindness of humanity, but no human can live and survive without Kindness! Annelise Lords

Imagine a world where kindness is an involuntary action for everyone.

They say kindness come from the heart. May this be your heart today and everyday.

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.