This Story Demonstrates How Even the Smallest Act of Kindness Can Make the Biggest Difference

It is commonly believed by children that if they are not direct participants in the act of bullying, that they are not contributing to the problem. While not being the bullies themselves is a start, it is not helping to put a stop to a long-standing issue. It is so important that kids not only stay away from bullying, but if they see if happening they take a stand and put a stop to it. And one touching story demonstrates this importance, showing that a simple act of kindness can mean so much more to someone than you may think. 

The author of this story begins by talking about walking home from school one day during his freshman year of high school. Just like an other Friday, he was walking home with big plans for the weekend on his mind, when he saw another boy walking home carrying a large stack of books. He found himself thinking that he must be a nerd for carrying all those books home during a weekend, when he saw a group of larger boys running at him. He watched as the older boys ran into him and knocked all the books out of his hands. They then proceeded to trip him and break his glasses before taking off running and laughing. The author recalls how he saw the boy crawling around looking for his glasses with a terrible, heart breaking sadness in his eyes. So he jogged over, picked up his glasses, and helped him gather his books, comforting him by saying, “Those guys are jerks, they should really get lives.” 

With a grateful smile the boy looked at him, relieved, and said “Hey thanks!” After helping him up, he found out the boy’s name was Kyle and he lived near him. He walked Kyle all the way home, carrying his books, and chatting the whole way. At the end of the walk, he invited Kyle to play football with him and his friends that Saturday, and they ended up spending the whole weekend together. 

Over the course of the next four years of high school, he and Kyle became best friends. When it came time for college, Kyle attended Georgetown to study to become a doctor and the author went to Duke on a football scholarship. But the miles between them did not come between their strong friendship. Come graduation day, Kyle was to give the class speech. But the author recalls how, sitting in the audience, he had no idea just how much Kyle’s speech was going to affect him. 

He remembers how Kyle cleared his throat, nervous, and began by saying “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.”

Kyle then went on to explain that all those years ago, that day walking home from school freshman year of high school, he had planned on taking his life that weekend. He talked about how he had brought home all those books so his mom would not have to go through the pain of cleaning out his school locker. He goes on to say how it was a simple act of kindness that saved him that weekend. How one boy had helped him after being bullied and showed him kindness and friendship. 

It was not until that moment that the boy realized the deep importance of what had seemed to him like a small act. It is this story and many others that show us the power our actions can have on others, even things that seem small or natural to us. 

So even if your child is not being bullied or an instigator of the bullying, make sure to explain to them how crucial it is to stand up to bullies and show others kindness, because you never know how your actions can affect others- and in some extreme cases it might just be the thing that saves them. 

Houston Tutor Reminds Us of all the Good in the World

One of our favorite subjects to blog about at ONCEkids are people who inspire us. And thanks to the internet, finding and sharing inspirational stories has become easier than ever. I often hear people complain that because of the ability to share news around the world with the click of a button, it makes the negativity and tragedy that goes on shoved in our faces all the time, thus bringing us down. While this may be true to some extent, we have been working to change this idea by helping to share positive stories and instead of focusing on the evil in the world, to focus on all the love and kindness. Cause if there is one thing that you can’t argue it is that “sharing” on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and various blogs has shown us that there are so many real life heroes in every corner of the world who, without the Internet, may have gone unnoticed. 

Take Kenny Thompson for example. This man has been dubbed the “lunch angel” after paying off the overdue lunch accounts of 60 kids at Houston’s Valley Oaks Elementary School. The longtime tutor and mentor was uneasy and upset after learning that many of the children who go to the school are on a reduced lunch meal plan and even then cannot afford the daily meals. Many of them will even skip the lunch line out of shame and embarrassment. It was after hearing this that he took it upon himself to go down to the school and spend $465 dollars to make sure that all the children were getting properly fed each day. He did this in the hope that it would ensure the children had the nutrition and security they needed to make each day at school a happy one. 

He comments on his actions saying, “These are elementary school kids. They don’t need to be worrying about finances. They need to be worried about what grade they got in spelling. When I left the building knowing that they were getting fed, they didn’t have that stress- the best money I ever spent.” 

Mr. Thompson’s concern and generosity is admirable, and thanks to social media his touching story has already inspired thousands of readers. 

For other inspirational stories of real-life heroes, but sure to check out our blog page! 

Selfless Teacher Uses Her Body to Shield Students During the Oklahoma Tornado

At ONCEkids we are celebrators of mothers who show their selflessness each and everyday through their heroic actions, but we also celebrate the educators of the precious children mothers work so hard to protect. Teachers also step up and are willing to sacrifice everything, even their lives, during hardships, as teachers during the Sandy Hook shooting clearly demonstrated. Another teacher who most recently showed the selflessness teachers have when it comes to their students, is Anna Canaday.

As a recent tornado tore its way through an elementary school in Moore, Oklahoma, Canaday, along with colleague Jessica Simonds, led their terrified students into the hall and had them get down on their knees against the wall and cover their heads. She recalls how she told them it was going to be alright and was loudly praying, but as the tornado raged above the school, it looked like Canaday was going to have to establish a new plan of action. 

Canaday and Simonds grabbed all the children, huddled them together, and used their own bodies as shields as the school came crashing down on top of them. As the roof of the school collapsed on to her body, Canaday prayed aloud saying "Just take me instead because they're the babies." Among the terrified children was Canaday's own daughter, five-year-old Kali. 

After the debris had stopped crumbling around them, neighbors rushed to free the two teacher and small children from underneath the piles of wreckage, which included a car. 

Thanks to these two courageous teachers, the extent of the injuries of the children they shielded were a few scratches and busted eardrums. Canaday reports that she was not the brave one that day, but the children were the ones who acted courageously as they were organized and excellent listeners, despite their inevitable fear. 

When being called a hero, Canaday says she is not a hero but just a teacher and a mother who was doing her job and putting the most important thing first, the safety of her students and of her own daughter. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

ONCEkids Celebrates Heroic Moms (Part Three of Three)

As mentioned previously, we are extending our heroic mothers series from Mother's Day through the end of May, because one day is simply not enough to even begin to explain all that our mothers do for us. 

There are dozens of stories out there, all equally touching and inspiring, of mothers who sacrificed everything, sometimes even their lives, for the sake of their children. In dedication of the heroic mothers everywhere, we have selected just a small handful of these countless women and decided to tell their stories.

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

Our list continues with Sharrie Shelton Duncan. While on vacation in Positano, Italy, Duncan and her 12-year-old son, Shane, were standing on a pier admiring the waves when a freak wave washed up, knocking them off their feet. Witnesses recall how Duncan was able to lift her son and push him up to rescuers before being swept away in the current that eventually took her life. She will forever  be remembered as a hero who put her son's life and safety before her own.

Our last mom, Erika Zeeman, jumped into action when she and her husband, along with their young daughter, stopped at a gas station near their home in Hercules, South Africa. As they pulled up to the gas station, they were unaware of the robbery that was in progress, until five men, armed with 9 mm handguns and an AK47, stormed out of the store.

Zeeman's husband, Piet Zeeman- who is also a police officer, immediately pursued the fleeing robbers. As he was chasing them, one of them turned around and began to fire into the Zeeman's family car, aiming directly at their toddler, Demi, who was sitting in the backseat. Seeing this, Erika launched across the seat, shielding her daughter with her own body. Erika was shot five times in the back while protecting Demi, but after being rushed into surgery and having the bullets removed, she miraculously survived and it is thanks to her heroic act that Demi was kept alive and unharmed. 


Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

Remember to tell your mom everyday how much she means to you because, as these stories prove, they truly will do anything, even risk or give up their own life, to keep you out of harms way. 

Here at ONCEkids, every mother is a hero. Comment below and tell us how your mother is yours!

ONCEkids Continues to Celebrate Heroic Mothers (Part Two of Three)

After gathering a list of mothers, whose stories prove so inspiring they cannot go untold, we have decided to extend our Mother's day heroes series through the end of May. One day is simply not enough to acknowledge the infinite rewards and challenges that come with being a mother. In our eyes, every mother is a hero. 

To any woman, it is not even a question whether they would protect their children's lives over their own. These next two women proved this to be true when they put their own lives in danger to protect what mattered most, their children.

Last year 36-year-old Stephanie Decker took her children to the basement seeking shelter from a tornado that was ripping its way through their home of Henryville, Indiana. As the two floors above began to collapse around them, Decker wrapped her children in a blanket and used her own body to shield them from the falling debris. This act of heroism resulted in the loss of both Decker's legs when the debris crushed her legs, as well as multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung. 

Decker's own mother says that because of Decker's unwavering strength, determination, and resilient personality, she had no doubts she would make it through the extensive surgeries and eventually walk again. 

In honor of her inspiring act, Decker was given the chance to walk arm-in-arm through the oval office with President Obama, using her prosthetic legs. During her darkest hours, her children and husband are there to help her fight  through the pain and serve as a reminder that they are here today because of her. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

It is every parents nightmare to hear that their child is unwell, and it is even worse to hear that they are not getting better. So when Vanessa Negrete was told that her 1-year-old daughter could not wait long enough for the next donor liver, she decided to take matters into her own hands. 

Since she was a perfect match and her daughter's life was in danger, she donated part of her own liver to her sick baby. 

This resulted in her becoming Arizona's first ever adult-to-child living donor liver transplant, as well as saving her baby's life. 


To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

ONCEkids Unsung Females Heroes (Part 4 of 5)

Nancy Lawlor from New York City proves that even the smallest gestures can make a huge difference in someone's life.

She makes our list of unsung heroes because she takes the time to collect flowers from hotels, weddings, and corporate events to give away to people in need. She has even turned this idea into a nonprofit organization, FlowerPower. She was inspired to begin this project eight years ago, sitting in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria. She remembers how she admired the breathtaking flower displays and thinking to herself that it was such a shame that they went to waste. Like many hotels and businesses, at the end of the day the beautiful bouquets are tossed into the dumpster and replaced with new ones. 

After getting the Waldorf Astoria to get onboard, Lawlor got to work making her plan a reality. Not long after, she had successfully delivered $2,000 worth of huge pink bouquets to a New York City hospital. 

Since then, FlowerPower has delivered more than 2.5 million dollars worth of flowers to those who need it most, including rehabilitation clinics, crisis centers, and hospitals. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

When asked about her project, Lawlor says, "I've seen thousands of people transformed, all over a single bouquet of flowers that originally would have been thrown away. All it takes is one person to say yes." 

Nancy Lawlor's kindness and generosity shows that even a small act of kindness, such as a bouquet of flowers, can be enough to brighten someone's day and cheer them up during an extremely difficult time in their life. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

The Heroes of the Boston Marathon Explosion

When tragedies like the bombing at the Boston Marathon happen, many of us find that we immediately begin to question humanity and ask ourselves what is happening to the world. I found myself in this trap as well. Several of us at ONCEkids have family in Boston or even grew up there, so news of this tragedy really hit home. 

Not long after hearing the news, I was surfing the Internet letting myself sink into that inevitable pessimism, when I stumbled upon some articles and pictures people had shared on Facebook. 

Clicking on one share led to another and another until instead of being depressed and disappointed with humanity, I found myself becoming inspired. It was then that it hit me, instead of focusing on the few individuals who have lost their sense of compassion, we should instead focus on all the people who still display infinite amounts of kindness. The shares I was reading on Facebook were stories and pictures of all the people who stepped out of the shadows to demonstrate courage and bravery that is both admirable as well as inspiring. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

One of the first things I read was how many of the people who finished the marathon continued running all the way to the hospital to donate blood or find some other way they could pitch in. On Twitter people tweeted stories about a responder who wheeled a woman to safety and then ran back into the danger to rescue more people. Countless pictures and videos were shared of people finding their loved ones after being separated by the explosion and others comforting injured or scared strangers. 

Even former New England Patriot Joe Andruzzi stepped up to help carry an injured woman to help. Restaurants all over Boston opened up their doors, giving free food to any locals or runners in need. One of the most moving posts I saw was the list of hundreds of entries on Google Doc of people living in the Boston area offering to pick up or house any people who may be stranded. 

 So tell us your stories! Share with us any knowledge you have or stories you've heard of heroes at the Boston Marathon explosion. We would love to hear anything from small acts of kindness to extreme displays of heroism, everyone is a hero to us!

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

ONCEkids Unsung Heroes (Part Two of Five)

Our list continues with two more women who have dedicated their lives to helping others. These women have shown their passion for helping others by speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. 

Laurie Marker has been living in Namibia for the last 33 years fighting to save Africa's most endangered big cat- the cheetah. The prickly thornbush that covers the plains of Namibia has been injuring the cheetahs when they run through it up to speeds of 70 mph, which has been interfering with their ability to wild game. Unable to hunt in the wild, the cheetahs have been forced to resort to farmer's livestock- resulting in many of them being cornered and trapped by farmers. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

Marker took it upon herself to solve this problem by sending wood chippers in to chop up all the brush. Since she took this initiative, cheetahs have been returning to the cleared areas and successfully hunting. Her love for the big cats began in the 1970s, when she worked at a wildlife refuge in Oregon. There, she raised both a tiger and a cheetah from the time they were born. She continued her mission by opening up the Cheetah Conservation Fund before heading to Namibia. 

The next inspiring woman on our list also has a passion for saving animals, but instead of cheetahs, she focuses her attention on a different kind of animal-horses. 

Erin Hurley has been riding horses since she was a little girl, riding in competitions beginning at the age of nine. As she grew into adulthood, she shifted her attention from competing with horses to rescuing them. After finding out the fate of many horses who retire from racing, she was determined to give a better life to them. As you can imagine, this was a very expensive goal- seeing as horses are not cheap by any means. 

For the first few years after establishing South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue & Adoption, Hurley often had to pay out of pocket to feed and care for the horses. Flash forward to today, she can afford to keep and care for up to 15 horses at a time- thanks to some help from a Philadelphia racetrack. In just six short years, Hurley has save hundreds of horses from a life of misery, and many times even the slaughterhouse. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter