We often hear people say that when it comes to teaching a child about kindness, the key is to always start them young.
At a very young age, when a kid sees the right way to act and do things out of kindness, they learn it and bring it into their hearts forever.
Seeing grown-ups and looking at them as role models will make it easier for a child to become a kind adult.
Sometimes, a kid’s role model is not their parents.
The people around them that inspires them to do good also give them the motivation to be kind.
For young boys, cops are some of the people they look up to and want to be like someday.
Young Noah Smiling, 9 years old, wants to be a cop when he grows up.
Cops help people and make sure everyone in the community is safe and secure.
Seeing good cops around him made Noah want to be just like them when he grows up.
Whenever he sees a cop, he is thrilled and excited, always dreaming of when he finally becomes one in the future.
It was “Bring Your Child to Work Day” and Noah and his mom, Amanda Cantin, were in a restaurant eating breakfast.
The boy spotted a cop, Officer Eddie Benitez, enter the building and instantly became excited.
Noah just received some pocket money for his birthday given by his mom.
When he saw Officer Benitez, he instantly thought of buying him breakfast.
The boy asked his mom if he can spend his money on the officer’s food and when she agreed, Noah ordered food for the cop.
Amanda helped Noah in writing a note attached to the food.
The note said:
“I want to be you when I grow up. Thank you for your service. – Noah Smiling”
After writing the message on the receipt, Noah approached the officer and handed him the food with the note.
It was something that caught the cop by surprise.
Officer Eddie Benitez was at a loss for words. The boy’s gesture surprised him and moved him.
“It meant everything,” he told WTSP News.
“It meant that I’m supposed to wake up every morning and put on his uniform and go out there and do what I do. You know? It means that I need to keep trying to be a good example to all these young guys.”
The incredible moment would not be complete without the two having a selfie.
Officer Benitez accepted the food and posed with Noah for a picture.
The boy was extremely delighted at the opportunity to take a photo with a person he looks up to. The photo was shared on Facebook by the Lakeland Police District.
Officer Benitez kept the note in his uniform’s front pocket to remind him of the boy’s kind act and how much he appreciates the role of cops in the community.
“I’ve got it right here, ’cause I’m gonna keep it as long as I can,” he said.
What an inspiring story.
Even children know the importance of having reliable police officers.
We are glad that kids like Noah get to inspire cops and other kids alike by doing simple but meaningful acts of kindness.
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