Did you hear about #AJO? It’s a fantastic story, although it’s also quite tragic.

A.J.O. are the initials of Alyssa Josephine O’Neill, an 18-year-old who died during an epileptic seizure just last month. On September 3rd, she texted her mom and asked if they could go to Starbucks the next day for a pumpkin spice latte.

They made the plans, but they never got the chance to follow through because Alyssa died early the next morning.

During the grieving process for her parents and her siblings, they came to a point where they wanted to honor their daughter’s memory in some way. So, they came up with this idea: they went to Starbucks and bought pumpkin spice lattes for the next 40 people—just whoever happened to come by. At their request, the Starbucks staff wrote #AJO on every cup they handed out. Then, moved by the gesture, the managers gave free lattes to 50 more people.

From there, this small effort to honor a daughter and the Twitter hashtag #AJO turned into a worldwide “pay it forward” movement. People went nuts with random acts of kindness! They started buying meals and gift cards and paying bills for others. Some people went to a local hospital with a bunch of coins and maxed out all the parking meters. On Twitter, #AJO continues to show up in photos from Mexico, Germany, Afghanistan, Australia, and many other places around the globe.

Alyssa’s dad, Jason, has said that just when he thinks, Nothing can top this, he hears about another incredible act of kindness that was inspired by their story. And while nothing can replace his daughter, it helps to know her legacy is about helping other people.

You can get more details about the story here (and many more places on the Internet).

Now, dad, if you’re inspired by this story, what do you think your kids would do with an idea like this?
Get them thinking in this direction and then see what happens. Who in your neighborhood needs some encouragement? What could they do to create a spirit of selflessness and kindness at their school? What would happen if you took five, ten or twenty dollars and went out together in your community simply to see how many people you could bless in some way? (Don’t you think that experience for you and your kids would be worth the money?)

You never know what kind of impact that could have on your kids. It might rock their world; they might start doing nice things for their siblings; they might stop complaining about chores. Hey, it could happen!

You may be surprised at what can happen through simple acts of kindness. We need a lot more of that in our world, and in our families.

What other examples do you know of, where kids and families do not-so-random acts of kindness? And what benefits have you seen in your kids when they do these kinds of things? Please join the conversation either below or on our Facebook page.

Action Points for Dads on the Fathering Journey

• Teach your kids to see a need and respond: The yard is full of leaves, therefore I need to go get the rake. Plant similar ideas in their heads before the need arises, and then give all kinds of positive reinforcement when they do respond.
• Talk with each of your kids about who in the family is especially busy right now, or who is struggling in some way. Ask, “What can we do to help or encourage him?” “How can we make her life a little easier?”
• Dads, we have to model this “pay-it-forward” way of life, demonstrating with our lives that we aren’t here just to be served or take up space; we’re here to make a difference in some way.
• Help your kids develop sensitivity for a friend who’s been left out, a needy neighbor, and so on. Create the impression that kindness and thoughtfulness are natural responses, and reward them when they take initiative.
• If you have found something useful to your fathering journey—a resource, a skill, a truth—pay it forward to another dad you know.