The Kindness That Kids Teach Us

There is something about December in an elementary school that feels electric. The hallways buzz a little louder. The artwork gets brighter. The mornings move faster. Everyone is tired and excited at the same time. The adults feel it. The kids feel it even more.

But every Wednesday morning, just when the week feels like it is sliding into the usual holiday chaos, the coffee cart rolls in and everything shifts.

They burst through the door with these huge smiles. Some of them sprint. Some walk in like they are clocking in for the best job of their lives. They grab aprons. They fix their hair. They ask who gets to push which cart. They practice their greetings. And they are so proud. So excited. So ready to make someone’s day, even if they do not fully understand how much they make mine.

It is honestly one of the sweetest things I get to witness all week.

And I forget sometimes. I forget that not every adult gets to see pure kindness in action. I forget that the joy these kids bring is not promised. I forget that their excitement to serve a cup of coffee to a teacher or hand over hot chocolate to a guest teacher is something rare. I forget that their enthusiasm is a kindness all its own.

Kids do not overcomplicate kindness. They do not plan it. They do not schedule it. They feel it and they offer it freely.

And it is not random. There is science behind why kids are so good at this.

The Science of Why Kids Are So Kind

Children are wired for prosocial behavior. Research from developmental psychology shows that even toddlers will help someone pick up dropped items or comfort someone who looks upset. Their brains are still developing the systems that support empathy, emotional regulation, and perspective-taking, but the instinct to connect is already there.

In fact:

Kids notice emotions more than adults.
Studies show that children track facial expressions, tone of voice, and emotional cues closely because they are learning how the world works through relationships. This makes them naturally tuned toward others.

Helping releases reward chemicals in a child’s brain.
Kindness activates dopamine and endorphins, which is why kids often get excited to help. The coffee cart is not just a routine. It is a weekly hit of positive reinforcement that shapes their identity as helpers.

Social modeling is powerful in schools.
Children watch adults and peers closely. When they see teachers thank them, smile at them, or show appreciation, it wires kindness as a normal part of community life. They learn that helping feels good and that they belong.

Predictable routines make kindness easier.
A simple Wednesday ritual gives kids a safe platform to practice prosocial behavior every week. They learn greetings. They learn turn-taking. They learn how it feels to brighten someone’s morning.

What feels like a small moment to us is actually building neural pathways for empathy, confidence, and connection.

The Reminder I Needed

I think about how often I take these moments for granted. How I walk into Wednesdays thinking about the meetings I have, the emails I need to answer, the reports I need to write. Then these kids show up. They look me right in the eye with complete presence and no hesitation. They are excited about a morning routine that many adults would sleepwalk through. They remind me to wake up to my own life.

Kindness is their first language. Connection is the second. They pour those things into every cup they hand out. No one trains them to care like this. They just do.

The holidays can be overwhelming for a lot of kids and adults. There is a lot to manage. A lot to feel. A lot to navigate. But the coffee cart reminds me of a truth I tend to forget. Kids do not need us to create magic for them. They already carry magic with them. All we have to do is notice it.

This time of year, when everything speeds up, the kids slow me down in the best way. They bring me back to kindness. They bring me back to presence. They bring me back to the simple joy of being part of a community that tries each day to make things better for each other.

And as we head into the rest of December, their excitement is the thing I am holding on to. It is the reminder I needed. The gentle one I probably would have missed if I had not stopped long enough to see it.

Kids teach kindness without ever trying. We just have to pay attention.