A Few Kind Words

This morning, I was tending to the business of promoting my daycare business at one of the various on line sites where I am advertising when I spotted the tab "Review Rebuttals". The very idea that someone could write something derogatory about me and my daycare that required a rebuttal kick started my defence systems so I clicked on the tab.

I've checked on my reviews various times over the course of the year that I have been back in the daycare business. A year ago I did mention to my previous daycare parents that they were welcome to leave a review on my site, but no one did. I checked in from time to time. But the review section of my daycare ad remained neglected.

So I expected to find 'more of the same' when I habitually clicked on that very same tab this morning. I was wrong.

What I found instead was a 97% rating and a short paragraph describing what one of my previous parents (I could tell by the context of the message that it wasn't one of my new parents) had liked about bringing their child to my daycare.

First of all, I was in awe. I wondered who it was that left such kindness in their wake. Of course I had a few faces immediately come to mind. The wonder of it all. Someone likes me. They really like me!

Then (do we all do this or is it just me) I wondered "Why only 97% ... what did I do wrong??"

I clicked onto the details and found that my downfall was my meals. Why would that surprise me? I am just lucky that it wasn't one of my new daycare parents doing that review. I have been trying so hard to get these kids to eat anything, that I am trying whatever it takes to tempt their appetites (and it isn't all healthy).

Then I looked again. They gave me a rating of about 4.25 out of 5 for my meals. Five out of five on everything else.

I got a score that high on my meal planning?!?! Suddenly I was back on my cloud. I can cook. I really can cook.

A few kind words left by an unnamed friend-of-my-past has made my morning. Spread kindness into your world. You just never know who needs it the most. So be generous with your praise and you will never know what a difference you have made.