There’s no job on earth quite as humbling as being a parent. One second you’re patting yourself on the back and thinking, “I’ve got this,” the next, your 4-year-old has suddenly turned into a Kracken in the middle of aisle 4, rage screaming, “I don’t like you!!” because you refuse to buy a box of Cocoa Puffs.
It’s a roller coaster, to say the least, and sometimes? You just really need someone to say, “Hey! You’re doing a great job.”
Oftentimes, however, instead of encouragement, parents are met with judgment and shame from strangers. So, when one mom received a note from a random stranger in a cafe she had no idea what to expect.
Anonymous Stranger Hands a Mom a Note
Recently, Reddit user, u/Violets-4-Roses, was dining at a local café with her daughter and baby nephew. There was only one other person in the restaurant, a man sitting a few tables away.
“I was in my local cafe with my daughter and baby nephew, and the man was sitting a few tables over from us,” she wrote. “There was nobody else in the cafe, so he could probably hear everything we were saying unintentionally.”
The man was there for about 15 minutes and left. But moments later, he returned.
This time he walked right up to u/Violets-4-Roses and handed her a card, telling her, “Someone has left this for you.” Before she even had a chance to respond, he had already walked out the door.
She opened the card to discover two £20 notes.
Written inside were the words:
“Treat the children to some ice cream. You are a great mum and a good role model. Keep doing what you are doing. Your children are a credit to you.”
Who Was the Kind Stranger?
Reddit user u/Violets-4-Roses shared the note she received from a stranger while dining out with her daughter and baby nephew.
Reddit/r/MadeMeSmile
The mom was so touched by the gesture, she posted about it on social media where it has garnered thousands of likes.
Wanting to know more about the anonymous man, she asked the women who run the café if they knew him. Turns out, it wasn’t an isolated event.
According to the employees, the man likes to leave money behind the counter so he can randomly pay for customers’ orders.
Apparently, he grew up poor and never forgot it.
Now, he uses his money to help others.
“I spoke to the women who run the cafe to see if they knew who he was, and they said he usually leaves money behind the counter to pay for a few families’ orders anonymously, as he had a very poor upbringing and wants to help other families.”
u/Violets-4-Roses via Reddit
Redditors loved the stranger’s act of kindness, even more so because of the place it was coming from.
“Invite this man to Thanksgivings and Christmases. He deserves to replace all the bad memories with better ones,” one commenter wrote.
“That is so cool! Like having a local superhero bringing ice cream money and compliments to the people 🥹,” wrote another.
A third echoed the hero sentiment, “One of those everyday heroes out there hero-ing. I’m so grateful for these people. Thanks for posting this. Read this card on “rainy” days. xo”
The mom says she plans on holding onto the card as a reminder when she’s having a hard day. She will also “absolutely be paying it forward.”
Words Have Power
While the gift of cash was nice, it was the words that made the greatest impact.
Telling someone they’re doing a good job doesn’t take much, yet for most people, they’re words they rarely hear. Having someone recognize our efforts and express appreciation can be incredibly uplifting and validating.
Being a parent is amazing but it’s also fraught with self-doubt and moments of feeling like you’re failing (no matter how good a parent you are).
The simple act of an anonymous man in the café taking the time to praise a stranger not only brought a smile to her face but also gave her much-needed encouragement that she’ll remember long after the ice cream is gone.
So, the next time you have the chance, take a moment to recognize and praise those around you — you never know the impact your words might have.
*Featured image contains photo by Gültac Əşrəfli
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