Schoolgirl Lies Next to Boy with Tourette's Syndrome in Front of Laughing Class, Makes Mom Proud

On the car ride home from school, a young girl told her mom how she made a teacher cry. At first, the mother's thoughts turned negative, and she began doubting her daughter. But what she then learned filled her heart with infinite pride and joy.

Every parent wishes to inculcate positive values in their children. Parenting is a rollercoaster ride, and every day is filled with endless surprises and indescribable emotions. But the light, joy, and love that youngsters bring along is something no parent would ever want to trade.

Believe it or not, sometimes, children can teach life-altering, soul-stirring, and unforgettable lessons to their elders, leaving them awe-struck, inspired, and proud. The story we're sharing today revolves around a similar scenario.

THE DRIVE HOME FROM SCHOOL

Kristin Banga Adair lived in Plant City, Florida, with her loving husband and four adorable kids. She had taught first-grade students for over 16 years and understood the significance of teaching youngsters valuable lessons that were not always a part of their school curriculum.

One day, she drove to her daughter, Karington's school to pick her up at off-time. Adair often played a game with her kids to make the ride home fun and exciting.

A FUN GAME

Recalling details of the interesting game Adair played with her children, she shared:

"On our way home from school my kids and I play the 'highs and lows game.' We tell each other our high of the day (best part) and our low (something they would change) of the day."

A YOUNGSTER'S STORY

The Plant City resident revealed that her 12-year-old girl told her a "high" that trumped everything else and made her teary-eyed.

She was not only baffled but also rendered speechless and said she tried her best to hold back her tears.

According to Adair, her daughter's story began with, "Mommy, I made a teacher cry today." The moment the mother-of-four heard these words, her initial thought was a negative one.

THERE WAS MORE

The Florida mother said she didn't want to doubt her sweet girl, but a part of her began wondering what Karington had done that drove the teacher to tears. She was still trying to process her daughter's words when she was interrupted.

It turned out that Karington was not done telling the complete story. Then, she told her mother about a boy in her art class who had Tourette's syndrome, a condition that causes people to make involuntary sounds and repetitive movements that can't be easily controlled.

SAVING THE BEST PART FOR THE LAST

Karington told her mom that everyone laughed at the boy because he did weird things. Adair listened intently as her girl continued the story. She recollected details of her conversation with Karington in a special feature on Love What Matters:

"Today he [the boy] fell to the ground – that's one of the things he does. I looked around and all these kids were laughing at him, so I walked up to him and laid down with him. The class stopped laughing."

THE WARMEST HUG

According to Karington, a substitute teacher (the boy's mother) was walking by at that time and witnessed the entire moment. With tears in her eyes, the teacher walked into the art room, thanked Karington, and wrapped her in a warm and tight hug. The youngster further said:

"Mommy, this hug was so tight, it was tighter than Aunt Jenna's hugs! She kept saying what a sweet girl I was and thanked me over and over."

After hearing her daughter's heart-touching story, Adair was overcome with a myriad of emotions. She was not only baffled but also rendered speechless and said she tried her best to hold back her tears.

A PROUD MOTHER

The proud mom recounted how her daughter looked at her, noticed the tears in her eyes, and understood everything. Moreover, Adair also revealed how her young girl's kind-heartedness touched her soul:

"There is not a thing my child could do that would make me more proud – nothing! Not honor roll, not unbelievable talent, not being a star athlete, or anything we consider extraordinary. Nothing is better than standing up for what is right and showing compassion and empathy towards others."

In addition to being proud of her young girl, Adair also gave a powerful message to mothers of children with special needs. She assured them that there are considerate people out there who always stand up for what is right.

A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS

Furthermore, Adair also asked parents to speak with their kids about important topics like autism, Tourette's syndrome, racism, etc. She urged parents to share their own stories and feelings with children to help mold their personalities and raise them into responsible and compassionate humans.

Drawing from her teaching experience, Adair stressed the significance of inculcating compassion and empathy in youngsters. She added:

"Having taught first grade for 16 years, I know first-hand compassion and empathy are not learned behaviors. They need to be explicitly modeled and taught. Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another. Listening with the ears of another. And feeling with the heart of another."

What are your thoughts on this profoundly heartwarming story? Do you think Karington did the right thing by lying on the ground next to the boy from her art class? What would you do if you were in her place?

Do you agree with Adair that empathy and kindness should be taught from a young age? If you liked reading this story, please share it with your family and friends.

Here's another story you'll enjoy reading, and it's about an assistant principal who got down on the ground near a special needs student to help with his emotions.