Changing a Tire and Teaching a Son

--by MakeSomeoneSmile, posted Aug 10, 2011

Last week as I pulled into the parking lot with my son for his baseball game, I saw a woman trying to change her flat tire. I told my son I would get him over to his practice field and then I was going back to help the woman change her tire.

When I got back to the parking lot, nobody had stopped to help her. I went over and offered. She tried to be nice and said that she was fine, but I could see otherwise so I insisted. Besides, my mother as she watches me from above would have cut a deal to send a pigeon to deliver a “special present” for me if her son had walked by and done nothing. Another woman parked nearby and said she had some wipes in the car, as I was getting dirty from the tire. She waited for us to finish and then gave us the wipes. I could tell it made her feel good in her own way. There were opportunities for kindness all around!

The best part for me though wasn’t just the fact that I could help. It came after my son’s game was over. As he and I walked to the parking lot he asked me why I went back to help the woman. I told him that it was the right thing to do. When he said to me, “next time Dad I want to help you change a tire” I was reminded that our children learn kindness from us and I will not let them down!

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Posted by MakeSomeoneSmile
Aug 10, 2011
Comments (17)

Readers Comments

jason wrote: Our children are the universe's best gifts to us, thanks for sharing...

thaata wrote: An inspiring story. How children learn good values from elders has come out nicely. God bless you.

Raymond Sia wrote: Yes , we man should help the woman that was helplees waiting for assistance , after all it's just a simple task to jack up the car unloosen & tighten the nuts then put down & up the tire tighten the 4 -5 nut only. It would be a wonderful world if each and every one share the same attitude of kindness. For the woman who offer the wipes also wants to take part in the act of kindness. We should also train and educate our childrens the same concepts too , so they will carry out the same thing when tey meet one.

sandra wrote: We always think only a man can help change a tire, but the woman did her bit by offering the wet wipes. Kindness all around. And children watch and learn from their parents, even when we don't think they are looking their minds absorb the good, and the bad.

Judy P wrote: Teenagers often get a "bad rap" but on two occasions in my adult life they have stopped to help us and were joyfully happy to help. Once in blinding fog our car just stopped. Teenagers already crammed into a pickup cab stopped, we sat on laps and they dropped us off at the next gas station. Another time our daughter had a flat tire on her van. My husband was going to change it for her (he had not too long before had heart surgery). A truck full of teenagers came roaring around the corner, backed up and insisted on changing the tire. When my husband offered them money, they refused and "roared" away. These things you never forget.

Twitch wrote: That is wonderful! It is amazing sometimes to realize that what we do does not just have an effect on those immediately impacted.

Joy wrote: Thanks for sharing your story of kindness. What a great example you set for your son. Blessings to you both.

joyfulwillow wrote: Since i have been in the position of that women needing assistance to change her tire, i feel confident i can say the gift you gave her when you helped her wasmuch larger then you might have suspected. Bless you and bless your son for wanting to do the same. Perhaps he can already guess the huge gift in the giving. Hugs.

Cam wrote: I only hope my son gets to experience such moments.

moral12 wrote: That was a great lesson in kindness you demonstrated for your son. Kudos to you!

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