Two weeks ago, I was driving my kids to school when my daughter got out of the car and suddenly noticed a large stain on her white skirt and on the seat. She had just gotten her first period. Shocked and embarrassed, she immediately burst into tears and began to panic.

As I tried to comfort her, her 6-year-old brother looked confused for a moment and then asked, “Does that mean you’re turning into a real grown-up now?” Before she could answer, he wrapped his arms around her and said, “You must be really, really strong inside. You are so cool!”

His innocent words completely caught her off guard. The panic on her face slowly faded, and through her tears she managed a smile. He didn’t really understand what was happening, but somehow he said exactly what she needed to hear at that moment.

When we got home, he insisted on helping us clean the car. He quietly handed us paper towels and kept checking on his sister to make sure she was okay. In his own sweet and caring way, he reminded us that kindness and love can make even the most difficult moments feel a little easier.