11 Stories That Prove Kids Are the Kindest Souls on Earth

Kids can be chaotic, loud, unpredictable, and sometimes downright exhausting, but every now and then, they’ll do something so pure and unexpectedly kind that it stops the whole world in its tracks. These real stories shared by parents and strangers show just how deeply children can understand compassion, courage, and empathy long before adulthood ever arrives.

• Last year, my dog Yadi (Maltipoo) went into heart failure. Thankfully, the vet was able to help, and he was no longer in heart failure. He was started on several meds to keep his heart from failing.
  In July of this year, overnight, he declined very fast. My husband and I rushed him to the Emergency vet at 2 am. The vet tech immediately took him back and told us to have a seat.
  I was an absolute mess. I didn’t want to believe this was the end. As I was sitting in my husband’s arms, a young boy no older than ten brought me a cup of water and said, “I’m sorry your dog is sick.” I took the water and thanked him.
  Unfortunately, Yadi was in full heart failure, lungs full of fluid, and having a hard time breathing. So my husband and I, along with the amazing vet, decided to have him put to sleep. He was my baby, my everything. I was, and still am, heartbroken.
  I still think about that little boy, and I wish I knew who he was because even though it was one of the worst nights of my life, he made it a little easier. Knowing that there are people out there who are so kind and understanding. I hope his parents are proud because they have an amazing son, who I know will grow to be an amazing man.
  To that young boy, thank you for your kindness. You truly helped me on such a sad night. © LuckyInLove8789 / Reddit

• My son is in the 2nd grade. He is pretty high-functioning autistic, but sometimes has his bad days. Almost every day since he was in kindergarten, one of his classmates has come out with him and let me know how his day was. They let me know if he has a bad day, but make sure I know the reason was not his fault.
  He also doesn’t eat (has a feeding tube), and lately, he has been making huge strides in eating, and tons of kiddos will come running to me, super excited to let me know he tried an Oreo or a Hershey’s Kiss or something else. They watch out for him, and I love all of them for being such great little humans. © missnikki08 / Reddit

• I have two very young kids, and I always say that I just want them to be kind. Sure, success and intelligence, and happiness are important, too. But kindness helps their fellow man.
  We were at a restaurant recently, and a group of tween boys came in. They were slightly loud, kept repeating the same lame jokes, and were more than slightly annoying. My husband and I were cringing as our kids stared at them (no doubt idolizing “older kids” and picking up on their conversation).
  They got up to leave and clamored out, then one kid stopped them. “Hey, guys: let’s clean this up for the people who work here.” Magically, the joking and loud banter stopped. They all worked together to clean up their table and then left.
  My mom’s heart was so proud! It was a fresh reminder that I needed to stop judging and preach the kindness I tell my kids about. © PecanEstablishment37 / Reddit

• I work at an elementary school, and yes, kids can be hard, but they also set an example of kindness that I think some of the adults should follow.
  Just today, we had a fifth-grade boy stop in the middle of his recess game to help a first-grader tie his shoes. A fourth-grade girl brought me a crying, injured kindergartner and took care of him, and volunteered to take him to the nurse. A fifth-grade boy taught a group of kindergartners how to open their milk cartons.
  Another student accidentally brought food that a girl in her class is allergic to, and came to me to ask how to keep her friend safe. We have a physically disabled student who has muscle weakness, but someone in her class always checks to see if she needs help cleaning up after activities.
  Maybe this is just an excuse to gush over how wonderful our students are, but if all kids are like them, the future is bright. © ekt1509 / Reddit

• My daughter is 4 years old, and we just lost grandma. So I’m having a somber discussion with her about the situation and tell her that Grandma died. She looks at me with her huge watery eyes, blinks, and says, “Like Mario?”
  Really not supposed to laugh when teaching your preschooler about death... but I did. © Wordcraftian / Reddit
  

• My kid excitedly told me today that he’ll be saving up the coal he gets for Xmas for a barbecue. © rumpsx / Reddit

• I was having a tough time with my son’s behavior and began to cry with frustration, and he came and offered me a drink from his water bottle and gave me a cuddle. Also, after he accidentally poked me in the eye, he asked if he could “kiss it better” like I do to him. He’s come over to stroke his baby sister’s head when she won’t stop crying (and it works!) All very emotional and sweet. © h29mja / Reddit

• Well, as all parents know, it’s hard being a parent, especially after you learn first-hand that your kids are listening and watching everything that you do, and it’s hard to be the best version of yourself.
  Well, me and my two daughters (15 and 12) had moved across the country with my family after my divorce for a fresh start. Two years in, it was rough; I was beating myself up a lot, and my youngest daughter (8 at the time) is very conscious of those around her and could tell one night.
  So, she locked herself in the room, found this quote on the internet, drew me a picture of the 3 of us with a quote that read, “If you ever feel like giving up, just remember, two little girls want to be just like you.” She even made a stand for it and everything, still sits on my desk. © Mmmmee2005 / Reddit

• I lost my wallet at the grocery store. Panic hit me, when suddenly a little boy walked up and said, “I saw you drop this.” He handed me my wallet. I gladly thanked him, but instead, he looked sad.
  After he left, I opened it and froze in shock. Inside was a note that read, “Sorry, you don’t have money, so I put mine,” along with a wrinkled $1 bill. That was when I understood why he looked so sad.
  He felt sorry for me, thinking I had no money, when in reality I just prefer to pay digitally. His kindness and innocence really made me smile.

• Yesterday, we were walking down the street when a couple ahead of us started arguing, and the man’s yelling got louder and sharper until it literally stopped us in our tracks. I felt that familiar spike of fear and was about to steer my son away, but he just stared for a moment, this tiny eight-year-old trying to make sense of grown-up chaos.
  And before I could say anything, he walked right up to the woman, tugged her sleeve gently, and said, “You don’t have to let anyone yell at you like that.” It was so small and so brave that even the man froze. The woman looked stunned, then actually smiled at him. I swear, kids see things so clearly, sometimes it puts all of us adults to shame.

• I’d had a really rough day and thought my 4-year-old was occupied downstairs with dad, so I took the opportunity to have a little cry. She came upstairs and saw me. I assured her I was just feeling a little sad, but it was nothing she needed to worry about.
  A few minutes later, she comes back and hands me a tissue, her favorite stuffed animal, and a flower. Then climbs up to give me a hug and asks if I’d rather have a snuggle and a nice story or a few minutes just to be alone. (Then she invented a super cute story about a house whose walls make everyone feel better). © InannasPocket / Reddit

Moments like these remind us that even the smallest humans can make the biggest difference. And if you enjoy stories where everyday situations take an emotional turn, you’ll love this one too: a grandma, a sick child, and a hard decision that changed everything. Read it here: ​I Refused to Babysit My DIL’s Sick Son—I’m Not His Real Grandma.