Walgreens Manager Restores Mom’s Faith in Christmas With This Act of Kindness

Christmas has always been a time for being generous and thinking of others, doing random acts of kindness, and just generally participating in the holiday spirit, but mom Holly Cooper says this year she had been feeling a little “Grinch-y” and just ready for the holidays to be over, until last week when she was at the local Walgreens with her children and two employees restored her faith in the holidays and the Christmas spirit. 

Cooper’s son, Jesse, is five years old and according to the Alabama mom, has struggled with behavioral control in the past. She thinks back to a time when not getting what he wanted in a store meant losing his temper and tantrums, but after lots of positive parenting techniques and patience, this store trip proved to be different. After Jesse spotted a toy he wanted to bring home with him, his mother nicely told him no. 

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Copper reports, “I said, ‘Listen, I don’t have any money for toys today, and you don’t have any money. So what are we going to do?’ And, he was really thinking about it-thinking hard-and he says, ‘We should leave it up front for Santa.” 

So Jesse followed his mom to the front of the store and, through some tears, bravely and politely asked the cashier if he can leave the toy up front for Santa. The cashier, Connie Cave, remembers being touched and moved by the little boy’s genuine sadness, so she assured him that she would put a tag on the toy and keep it in a safe place for Santa to pick up. But Connie wanted to do more for Jesse than just that, so after he and his mother left the store she approached her manager, Tiffany Thomason, and told her what happened. Tiffany too, immediately wanted to buy the toy for Jesse. So she wrapped the toy up and wrote Jesse a letter from Santa encouraging him to be patient and to always praise his mother. As a mother herself, she says she truly believes encouraging other parents is one of the most important things you can do for one another. 

Cooper says when she returned to the store later that day to pick up the toy, she couldn’t believe that complete strangers had been so kind and thoughtful to her son. She says she was so moved by their actions that her holiday spirit has been completed restored and that what she is the most touched by is how her son got to witness some true Christmas magic first hand. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

All Female Group 'The Mrs' Wants Women Everywhere to Know They Are Enough in this Powerful Video

A touching video is going viral across social media mediums right now with a powerful message behind it. The all female group The Mrs wants women everywhere to know that they are beautiful on the inside and the outside, that they are love and appreciated, and that they are always enough. 

Watch as a group of women stand in front of an interactive mirror and are asked how they feel about what they see in the reflection. Most of the women respond with something along the lines of “okay”, “not great”, “hot mess” and so on until the voice behind the mirror steps in to show them how wrong they really are. 

Watch the moving video and join the fight to let the people you love know that they are enough just the way they are.

Click below to watch and get your tissues ready!

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Beautiful Robin Williams Tribute Will Move You to Tears in Just One Minute

The world has been saddened by the tragic death of Robin Williams earlier this week. Since then, countless posts and tributes have been created to honor and remember the talented actor and comedian. Out of those countless posts, I think this video is one of the best. In just a minute, this tribute touches the heart by remembering him through some of his greatest roles and Robin Williams himself comforts us through the wise words of his one of his beloved characters.

Click below to view the moving tribute to Robin Williams:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

A Bank Uses Its ATMs to Thank Regulars in a Touching and Personalized Way

Certain chains of stores attract more regulars than any others, the local coffee shop or grocery store for example. Another example is the bank. Every day the same customers come through the bank doors, interacting with tellers and using ATMs. After enough time has passed the employees and regular customers often develop a relationship, getting to know bits and pieces of each other’s personal lives. 

Well this bank decided that it was time to give back to their customers in a special and personal way. So they temporarily turned their ATM into an “Automated Thanking Machine” for regular customers to show them how special and appreciated they were. 

The joy and surprise on the customer’s faces is truly amazing and very moving. At some points you can even hear the “ATM” getting a little choked up. It was a little hard for me not to get choked up watching the genuine happiness and gratitude from the customers after receiving their surprises.

Click below to watch the touching video:

Powerful Always Ad Asks Us What It Means to Do Something 'Like a Girl'

While growing up, or watching your kids grow up, were you ever told or heard someone else being told they do something “like a girl”? Think about what the person who was saying that meant with those words. Was it that they were kicking, running, or hitting impressively and with force? Probably not. Most likely the teacher, coach, parent, or peer meant they were performing below average or in a way that would be considered by that person to be weak. 

But why does doing something ‘like a girl’ have to mean doing something poorly? It implies that acting like a girl or being a girl is something to be ashamed of, to try to change. And is that the message we want to be sending to our young girls as they become young adults? Definitely not. 

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure not only do I hit like a girl and run like a girl but I also wake up like a girl, brush my teeth like a girl, and go to work like a girl- because I AM a girl. 

We need to be raising our girls to be proud of who they are and what they are capable of. Young girls should recognize all that it means to be a girl. Because being a woman is a beautiful thing. 

When most people are asked who the strongest person they know is, a lot of the time their answer is their mother. 

A woman. 

A strong, independent, resilient woman. So next time someone tells you that you hit like a girl, thank them because they just complimented you. And encourage them to think about the meaning behind their thoughtless statement because their beautiful, strong mother raised them- like a girl. 

This issue is finally brought to the world’s attention in an inspiring and powerful ad by Always. 

Click below to watch:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Dove's #RealDadMoments Shows the Touching and Special Side of Fatherhood

Just in time for Father’s Day, Dove made a very touching video celebrating and honoring how special and important Fathers are throughout our lives. Including everything from comforting a child after a nightmare to coming to rescue a teen with a broken down car, the moving commercial highlights all the aspects of fatherhood and all the times our Dads were there when we needed them- and it couldn’t be more beautiful. Get your tissues ready (and your phone because you’re probably going to want to call or text him right after watching this)! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Man or Woman, Everyone Needs to Read These #YesAllWomen Tweets

Anyone who is a part of the social media world has probably at least heard of the #YesAllWomen tweets. The tweets are trending all over the internet, so they’ve most likely popped up on your Facebook newsfeed or been posted about by your friends. But on the off chance you haven’t yet heard of these tweets or have but haven’t read any of them- I definitely encourage you to do so. 

Sparked by the brutal killings of 6 women and injuries to 13 by Elliot Roger, fueled by his sexual hatred and misogyny, the #YesAllWomen hashtag has gone viral. It’s purpose has been to report or support issues of sexual hatred, fear, harassment, and sexual assault. 

The tweets evoke a whole host of emotions- anger, inspiration, motivation, sadness, determination, support, and more. They are shocking, moving, and most of all eye opening. The subject and sheer number of responses has caused worldwide attention, provoking both support as well as controversy. Whether you are a male or a female, these tweets will undoubtedly speak to you and benefit you. And if you are a parent of either sons or daughters, these tweets can be really important when moving forward teaching your children about respect and equality. 

Here is a list of some if the many tweets I found to be most powerful:

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To read more about the #YesAllWomen movement, visit their FaceBook page

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Lupita Nyong'o Blows Us Away with Her Powerful Words About Beauty and Being a Woman

Just days before Lupita Nyong'o amazing win at the Oscars for her performance in “12 Years a Slave”, she accepted another award for the “Best Breakthrough Performance” at the annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon.

Her double dose of wins would have been impressive no matter who it was but did we mention this was her first movie? So we can already admire her for her talent but after the speech she delivered at the Luncheon I admire a whole lot more about her than just her acting skills. The speech was moving, inspirational, and a little heartbreaking all at the same time- and something every little girl needs to hear. In the United States, March is Women’s Month and Lupita Nyong’o is an example of a woman who definitely deserves to be celebrated. She is an excellent role model for young girls everywhere and her touching words reveal the beauty, power, and strength that all women are capable of. 

Watch Lupita Nyong’o's Incredible Speech here:

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.