{"id":723,"date":"2011-02-01T01:21:15","date_gmt":"2011-02-01T01:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=723"},"modified":"2011-02-01T01:21:15","modified_gmt":"2011-02-01T01:21:15","slug":"a-lesson-in-the-little-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2011\/02\/01\/a-lesson-in-the-little-things\/","title":{"rendered":"A Lesson in the Little Things"},"content":{"rendered":"
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post called, \u00a0\u201cThe Magazine Gesture<\/a>.\u201d It described how simple, every day acts of kindness often mean more to people than extravagant gifts. Just to know someone is thinking about you can do more than simply brighten one\u2019s day, it can impact someone\u2019s life. Many of you wrote and told me of such experiences. \u201cThe Magazine Gesture\u201d seemed to resonate with many readers.<\/p>\n This got me thinking about the little people<\/em> in our lives. What do unexpected acts of kindness mean to them?<\/p>\n Right before the holidays, I had the opportunity to teach at my daughter\u2019s preschool while the staff was treated to a luncheon. While there, I witnessed three acts of kindness created by parents for their child.<\/p>\n At the time, I didn\u2019t know why I felt compelled to take pictures of these loving gestures, but I do now.<\/p>\n It is because these photos carry a message, and it\u2019s a powerful one.<\/p>\n Children, just like adults, love unexpected little acts of kindness, too. Contrary to what we might think, these gestures need not require a large amount of money. They need not be electronic. They need not be the latest and greatest toys on the market.<\/p>\n They must simply come from the heart. (Sound familiar?)<\/p>\n And here\u2019s a little tidbit: Children love <\/strong>to envision their parents thinking about them when they are apart\u2026because there\u2019s a good chance they are thinking about you.<\/p>\n Next comes the evidence. (As you know, I love displaying Hands Free Evidence that so beautifully illustrates the message of the day.)<\/p>\n Here is my story (and the evidence) of how something small can signify something big, in the eyes of a child\u2026<\/p>\n As I stated earlier, I was acting as \u201cteacher\u201d for a precious group of four-year-olds. The regular teacher had left me with a detailed schedule that I was diligently trying to follow (although there were plenty of \u201clittle assistants\u201d who loved to tell me what was coming next).<\/p>\n Around mid-morning, I announced that it was snack time. The children obediently went to their cubbies and pulled out their snack bags.<\/p>\n While most of the children immediately sat down and tore into their sacks, I noticed one little boy simply gazing at the front of his sack.<\/p>\n I went over to him and found him staring at this:<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n When look you look at this, you probably see a Christmas tree on a lunch sack.<\/p>\n When I look at this, I see the result of someone who went Hands Free for five minutes to bring a smile to her child\u2019s face.<\/p>\n When a child looks at this, he sees this: My mom wishes she could be here to laugh and eat snacks with me. She is thinking about me. My mom loves me.<\/em><\/p>\n I only wish his mom could have seen the smile she put on her son\u2019s face that remained there all morning long.<\/p>\n Shortly after snack, it was time to go outside for recess. As predicted, the temperature had drastically dropped during the night, so for the first time in the season children had colorful warm mittens and scarves, in addition to their puffy winter jackets.<\/p>\n As I helped children their zip coats, I noticed one little girl concentrating with utmost determination to insert something into the top of her mitten.<\/p>\n I walked over and saw these cute little pouches in her hand:<\/p>\n