Childhood kindnesses you can't forget

[Clawdy]

The thread about childhood injustices is so sad, I thought I'd try a happier one ! The kind incidents you remember as a child.....mine was my usually grim grandma listening to me telling my mum how much I wanted a new book I'd seen in our local shop. Mum said she certainly couldn't afford it and Gran stood up and said "She shall have it!" We were amazed, it wasn't like her at all! She handed over the money, I bought the book, and never forgot it! It was a typical girls story - "Judy, Patrol Leader ".

I think all the ‘kindness’ memories are those of my mum.
She was/is the most wonderful mum. Even when she’d found out my dad was sleeping with her best friend she never once spoke badly of him. She always made sure we had the best birthdays, fun sleepovers, so many happy times and all costing very little (my dad was a child maintenance dodger).
She always, always put us first, we always had what we needed and felt safe and loved.
It was literally just the other day I was thinking back to how much she must have done without so me and my DB could have what we needed.
Don’t get me wrong, at nearly 40 years old I wouldn’t argue with her/swear in front of her or overstep the mark in any way...she still has ‘the look’ where I know I’ve pushed it...
But she is incredible, selfless, strong, generous and always, always there when i need her

I remember being in primary school and crying in the toilets because nobody would play with me. An older girl found me and asked me what the matter was, I told her and she took me to the playground and played with me for the rest of lunch.

We went to the same high school when older but never spoke to each other again (different years etc).

I actually bumped into her a couple of years ago at her workplace, we recognised each other and she was just so lovely and friendly.

It wasn't until a week or so later I remembered how kind she was to me that day in primary school; I wish I had remembered at the time and could have mentioned it to her!

When I was 4 my family was involved in a massive car crash - think people flung out of vehicle, trapped in wreckage type collision. I was actually the only uninjured person. Someone who lived in a nearby house came out and scooped me up and took me into their house - I now realise to make sure I didn’t see the carnage outside. I remember them making a fuss of the red welly boots I was wearing at the time. That was true kindness

When I was little my parents often had to 'entertain' my dad's work colleagues/contacts, either formal dinner parties or less formal cocktail parties. My sister and I were always put to bed but I remember one time we were sitting at the top of the stairs watching (split level house so only a short staircase, so we could both see and be seen!). One bloke came and sat on the stairs chatting to us for a bit and we told him that we had helped to make th chocolate mousse that was one of the dessert options and that we were hoping there would be some left so we could try it the next day. He went round all the guests telling them not to finish it so we could have some 😊

Another time, possibly the same guy, I can't quite remember, we were involved with a production my Dad was doing with the workplace am-dram group. We were the only children in the show and were kind of the mascots of the group. Again, we chatted sometimes to this bloke and one time we all three agreed that there should be such a thing as chocolate pizza. After the last performance there was the usual cast after party, which we of course went to with our dad, and this guy had made (or possibly had his partner make) us a chocolate pizza! Standard pizza base, chocolate sauce, marshmallows, sprinkles, it was amazing!

In the nicest possible sense, why did I open this thread? 😭😭😭

My mum once got a phone call from the mum of a little boy who was being bullied at school.

Apparently this boy’s tormentors had tried to get my lovely brother (who was new at the school) to join in but he didn’t. He said “no, xxxx is my friend.”

Just a small act but it must have made this little boy’s day because he went home and told his mum. And his mum phoned my mum and I expect they all felt there was a little more humanity in the world that day.

More and more since having my own babies my lovely Nana's patience and kindness comes back to me. She looked after me a lot as my mum was a single parent who worked nights. Nana never had an unkind word, never lost her temper, she smiled through every game and craft, she made play dough, and joined in imaginary games with so much apparent enthusiasm. I don't know how she did it now I've got kids of my own. She was still working when I was little too. She would read me endless stories to get me off to sleep, it was so lovely to drift off hearing her voice. I remember her frequently lifting me up to show me the clock said 4am and it really wasn't morning, and yet still she lay next to me and read me more stories with a loving smile to get me back off to sleep. She never seemed cross or impatient. I try to channel her kindness when I'm losing my patience with my kids now.

Quite a small thing, but I'll always remember getting ready to go to school (primary), looking out of my window and seeing my best friend outside. She didn't have to walk past my house to get to school, so that was unusual. I went downstairs to my mum and said "X is outside!" and we went out to see her.

Turned out she'd wanted to make a detour past my house on the way to school to give me a badge that she'd made saying something like "best friend".

I remember what a warm, glowing feeling I got (and still do get) from this lovely random act of kindness from my friend

I was the wrong colour for my rural school in the 1980s. I had horrific racism from both kids and teachers.

A TA joined the school. She was so nice to me. One day she took me aside and told me about her daughter who was darker skinned than me who went to a special school because she was bullied. She told me I could come to her anytime and speak to her. She left after 6 months. Her secret of having a black daughter was found out (she was at boarding school in a far more cosmopolitan place) and she was hounded out. I can't even remember her name but I remember her kindness in a world where all the adults were so awful to me.

My mum died when I was young and I had some difficult times growing up. On day I was sent outside the classroom for misbehaving (I was about 7) and a child's mother came past me and bent down to have a chat. She later came back with a little guardian angel pin brooch with a beautiful poem attached and I have honestly never forgotten the kindness she showed me that day

When I was in infant school (c1959), my mum walked me to and from school with my brother sat in a seat on the back of her bike. A little boy who lived a few minutes away also used to walk with us. We never saw him with an adult going to or from school, he was always by himself and seemed quite lonely.

One day the ice cream man was outside the school and my mum bought me and brother an ice cream and also the little boy. She said there was no way she would buy us one and leave him out just because he wasn't one of her kids.

I often wonder what happened to him.

On my first time at Brownies, nobody would speak to me, except an older girl who made me feel welcome. I've never forgotten how nice she was to me. Alison Blackburn, if you're reading this, thank you!

@Fuckadoodledoooo

It honestly makes me shudder at the thought of anyone, let alone a teacher being cruel to a child because of their colour

My lovely mum. I’ve got lots of siblings and one day after school it was just us two for once. She was being very insistent I should go into my room and when I finally did and closed the door a brand new dress was hanging behind the door! I put it on and we went to a local ‘posh’ cafe for a piece of cake and I felt so special She told me she’d seen the dress and knew it would look beautiful with my hair loose, I must have been about 8 or 9.

Later as an adult I realise how abusive my estranged dad was and how incredibly hard she must have worked to hold our lives together on the pittance he meted our to her,

Some lovely stories here.

My Grandad used to post penny sweets, it honestly bought me such joy.

I had the loveliest Grandma. I still miss chatting to her. She saw the world through rose tinted spectacles, bless her.

Cooked the best food, taught me to bake and cook, play card games and draughts and chess. Bought us reams and reams of paper and crayons. We loved staying at her house. It was just so....homely.

Always had time for more hugs, never said a bad word about anyone. Just a beautiful lady.

I had a horribly abusive childhood, absolutely awful.

I started my period when I was 9 and had no clue what was going on at all, and told my friend what had happened (my mother knew and had hit me and called me a slut and told me to use tissue).

I used to call on my friend in the morning on the way to school, and her mum put sanitary towels in my bag, along with chocolate and a leaflet explaining what was going on.

She put towels and chocolate in my bag every month for years never said anything, neither did my friend.

It really made a very shitty time that bit easier and I'll never forget her kindness.

Some lovely neighbours of ours when I was maybe 10. I had a few goldfish and a catfish in a small tank - they were looking after them while we were on holiday.

It was only years later that I was told, but the catfish had died while we were away, and they’d gone to every pet shop for miles to try to find a similar one.

I never twigged that it had been replaced.
Mrs Neighbour had always endeared herself to me since she was a great lover of animals - even my tortoise, which most adults were not remotely enthusiastic about.,

I think I might have something in my eye.

My Mum was a single parent and we didn't have much money growing up however my Aunt and Uncle- along with my grandparents- made sure I didn't go without and would put money together to allow me to go on school trips and take me on days out in the summer.

From the age of six, I used to have to get the bus alone into the next town to get to school. This was scary for me until I got used to it. There was a nice older lady who was always on the same bus who used to sit with me and talk to me (and make sure I got off at the right stop!). Only as an adult with my own kids did I realise what a kind thing that was to do - she probably would've preferred a quiet commute to listening to a small child prattle on for 20 minutes.

At 15 I attempted suicide (couldn't cope with my mum's alcoholism any longer). My family did not cope brilliantly - they sent me back to school the day after I got out of hospital and refused to tell the school what had happened because they were ashamed. Unsurprisingly I went a bit off the rails - they still didn't tell the school why (I'd previously been a model student) and the school didn't ask, just dismissed me as a wrong 'un. Except for one teacher, who gave up her lunch break three times a week to tutor me in her subject. I ultimately got an A for it at GCSE. Again, only as an adult did I realise this was a big sacrifice on her part, and appreciated her not giving up on me.

I was at a fairly staunch area school, with playcentre to 7th form kids, I'd only just joined it, and I had some boys making my life an absolute misery, I was running away from them, crying, and some big 7th form girls saw me and asked what was the matter. I told them, one scooped me up on her lap (I was a very tiny 7 year old), and comforted me, while three others went off and suggested very strongly to the boys that if they did not cease and desist, it could be very detrimental to their health.

The same girls refused to allow me to be useless at softball and hockey, and equally ruthlessly instructed me in these necessary skills.

I was an awkward, bookish, shy and fat kid and hated having to spend every weekend and a lot of holidays at my dad's watersports club with a lot of snotty people whose kids were not particularly nice to me. On one interminable week away, a really kind lady took the time to chat to me and asked my views on books her son might like, I think this was a bit of a pretext to chat to me about something that interested me, looking back. I really appreciated someone taking an interest instead of thinking I was weird.

@Bluedelphinium

I was an awkward, bookish, shy and fat kid and hated having to spend every weekend and a lot of holidays at my dad's watersports club with a lot of snotty people whose kids were not particularly nice to me. On one interminable week away, a really kind lady took the time to chat to me and asked my views on books her son might like, I think this was a bit of a pretext to chat to me about something that interested me, looking back. I really appreciated someone taking an interest instead of thinking I was weird.

What a lovely, gracious, sensitive and kind woman she was! So few adults really see children, let alone take the time to make sure they feel welcome and included.