The little boy from down the way, and who is just about 3 years-old, was recently told by his preschool teacher that, “Helping makes you feel good.”

Imagine my delight when he offered to push my over-sized Rubbermade trash can from said curb to said location behind the house.

After 15 minutes or so, and with many grunts and oomphs in between – by God, he got that trash can where it needed to go.

And as he harumphed right past me, with muddy shmootz in his hair…he shouted,

“Helping does *not* make you feel good.”

And with a snarliest of ‘frowny brows’ and disillusioned sideways glance… he reinforced his disgust, by stomping away.

So now, I need to figure out the perfect “thank you for helping even though you got shmootz in your hair’ present for a 3 year old boy.

Because, he’s right, you know—helping should always make you feel good.