We Should All Be More Like Kai

Children are natural in showing kindness to each other. They do it without expecting praise or rewards. We can learn a lot about kindness from them.

I have been a primary school teacher for fifteen years and during my time in the classroom have witness the children perform countless acts of kindness. For them, kindness is a spontaneous, selfless act.

Without hesitation they will throw a consoling arm around the shoulders of an upset peer. They will give them a hug and kind words. Without expecting anything back they will help a struggling friend with a tough problem in maths or help them with their tie after a physical education lesson.

Each day I witness their selfless acts of kindness, but one stands above the rest...

I have pupil in my class Kai. He is one of the many underprivileged children in my inner London school. It is a school where many children come in with empty bellies and worn-out shoes.

As one year in teaching fades into another, many names and faces of children fade, too. But I will always remember Kai.

Kai is a sensitive child, the youngest of four boys with four different fathers. Mum seems to have given up. Or maybe she never cared that much. Either way, she doesn't engage with the school or his teachers.

Kai is a very sensitive child who becomes distraught even at the slightest but of criticism. You try to advice and correct him with his work and he will end in floods of tears.

But he is also sensitive towards the blight of others. He is a compassionate and caring child.

One day, we were out with my class exploring the local area. Most of them have no idea what lies beyond their own estate and the school so we help them to build their knowledge of their own neighbourhood.

On our route we passed a busker. He was an elderly man in a wheelchair playing a saxophone.

When we passed the busker, Kai looked at him intently. And soon after, he approached me with a question.

He said that he had accidentally brought some money with him. He had forgotten to take it out of his pocket, he said pulling his hand out of the pocket. Opening his hand he showed me the money. There on his palm were less than a pound's worth of coins.

He held his precious coins and asked if he could give it to the old saxophone player

'for his troubles.'

I suggested he might want to keep the money and save it for something he would like to buy for himself. He didn't want to keep it. He said

the old man needed the money more than him.

There was no way I could say no.

I watched him give the money to the old saxophone-playing busker. I watched him light a face on the old man's face as he dropped the few coins in the hat next to the wheelchair.

I have so much to learn from Kai. He wanted to give his few coins to someone he felt needed them more. What he did was a true act of kindness and compassion.

When Kai, with his second-hand clothes and lack of parental affection and acceptance, put the busker's needs first, I learnt a lesson about kindness and generosity I will never forget.

It has change my thinking. It made me realise that even at times when I don't have spare money, I can still give. There is food on my table and a roof over my head. I have a steady job and can pay my rent and bills each much.

That means I can help those who are less fortunate. That's what Kai would do.

In the recent times when COVID-19 has wreaked havoc across the Globe, many people have lost their livelihood. In times like these, it is even more important than ever for everyone to show compassion and kindness towards each other.

It’s more important than ever to be more like Kai.