The Power of Helping
As I walk home through a rainstorm, I find myself wondering what “helping” really means. Is it holding the door for someone with their hands full? Checking in on a friend just to see how they’re doing? Saying “thank you” when someone asks how you are? Helping can be all of these things and more.
Sometimes it’s as simple as a text message or a phone call. Other times, it’s devoting an afternoon to help a friend move into a new apartment, knowing your only reward will be a sore back and a slice of pizza. At its core, helping is about showing up for others—friends, strangers, and anyone who needs it.
Why Helping Matters
When we help, we’re not just making someone else’s day easier. We’re building stronger connections and healthier communities. Helping is contagious—it inspires others to step up too. A small act of kindness can ripple outward, making our classrooms, neighborhoods, and families more supportive and joyful places.
Helping in Education
Education is often called a “helping profession.” Teachers, psychologists, social workers, and principals devote their time and energy to guiding young minds forward. Much of our work is about teaching lessons we’ve already learned ourselves—sometimes through mistakes, sometimes through textbooks and research, and often through life experience. Helping in education means listening, encouraging, and lifting others up.
But helping in education doesn’t just come from school staff—it also comes from parents. Parents are their children’s first helpers and role models, showing them what kindness and generosity look like long before they enter a classroom. Whether it’s supporting with homework, modeling respect for others, or encouraging their child to be a good friend, parents play a huge role in building a culture of helping that extends into schools and communities.
Everyday Acts of Help
Helping doesn’t always look heroic. Sometimes it’s picking up trash at the park. Sometimes it’s walking with a friend through the rain just to listen. Sometimes it’s being the sounding board someone else needs in a tough moment.
A Challenge
Find one way to help today. Maybe that’s sitting with someone at lunch who looks alone, picking up trash in the hallway, or telling a classmate “good job” after a presentation. Maybe it’s helping your younger sibling with homework or simply saying “thank you” when someone shows you kindness.
Helping doesn’t have to be big….it just has to be real. And the more we help, the more we create classrooms and schools where everyone feels like they belong.