In 2017, a father from South Carolina took an unexpected approach to addressing his daughter’s bullying behavior. When Randy Smalls discovered that his daughter, Re’Onna, was part of a group that was mocking a classmate, Ryan Reese, he decided to intervene in a unique way.
Randy befriended Ryan and took her on a shopping spree, using the money he had saved for his daughter. He also treated Ryan to a hair salon visit, helping to boost her confidence. What made this gesture even more remarkable was that Re’Onna was invited to join them, forcing her to confront the harm caused by her actions.
Randy’s motivations for taking this approach were deeply personal. Having experienced bullying himself as a child, he wanted Re’Onna to understand the impact of her behavior. By involving her in Ryan’s shopping spree, he hoped to teach her a valuable lesson about empathy and kindness.
The experience had a profound effect on Re’Onna. She began to see Ryan in a new light and eventually became her defender at school. Ryan, too, benefited from Randy’s kindness, slowly rebuilding her confidence and overcoming the depression that had plagued her since losing several family members.
Randy’s actions sent a powerful message to parents everywhere: taking responsibility for our children’s actions is crucial. By being a parent rather than a friend, we can help our children develop empathy and compassion for others. Randy’s story serves as a testament to the transformative power of kindness and the importance of teaching our children valuable life lessons.
