Rylie Jasmine and her family got more than just their favorite pizza when they went out to eat. Not only did they feel encouraged by being told they were doing well as a family, but they also learned a powerful lesson along the way.
Originally from California, Mrs. Jasmine and her family moved to Arizona because of her husband’s job in civil engineering.
The 28-year-old mom works in social media, encouraging and building community with other moms, and also homeschools their four children. This isn’t the only area where she goes against the grain of society. She has also decided to limit her children’s screen time. Overall, she says it has been a huge blessing to her family, but it does come with challenges.
Mrs. Jasmine says that sometimes her children can get rowdy compared to their peers who are plugged into their devices while out in public. Rather than shy away from it, the couple embraces this as an opportunity for their children to learn and grow in their social skills through interacting with each other and with other adults.
She shares a recent incident that happened at one of their favorite local pizza restaurants.
![Rylie Jasmine with her husband and four children. (Courtesy of Rylie Jasmine) [The children's faces in this image were blurred to protect their privacy.]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F06%2F24%2Fid5674116-Rylie2-1200x1600.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
“We walked in the door, and it was very, very busy,” she told The Epoch Times. “We got a table, and we were just sitting there, hanging out, talking with our kids. I think, probably, what stuck out was that we were just all having a conversation, rather than [the kids] having an iPad or something like that.
“We were there for maybe 30 minutes. We were still waiting for our food, and this older couple came up to us on their way out the door.”
What they said changed her perspective and gave the Jasmine family encouragement.
“They came over, and they said, ‘We just want to say, you guys are doing a great job.’ And they looked over to my kids, and they said, ‘You guys are the best-behaved kids we’ve ever seen,’” Mrs. Jasmine said. “I don’t know if they were telling the truth, but the fact that they came up to my children and told my children that they were doing a great job, it just made my kids’ day.”
She says that was a big deal to her as a mother because she has taken her children to places where they don’t always feel welcome.
“It’s so sweet and so refreshing and encouraging for my children just to be acknowledged and appreciated that they’re there,” she said.
The pizza finally came, and the family was feeling overjoyed at the compliment they received from the kind couple.
After they finished eating, Mrs. Jasmine went to ask for the receipt so they could pay for their meal. The waitress said, “You know that couple that came and was talking to you? Well, they paid for your meal.”
Overwhelmed by the couple paying for their nearly $100 bill, Mrs. Jasmine said they were just “absolutely blown away.”
“I mean, they paid tip and everything, and [they were] just so kind,” she said.
In an interview with the Epoch Times, she said. “We often wonder if we’re welcome, and I think having their encouragement, it not only affirms the fact that we are welcome and that our kids are welcome to be out in public, but I think it also encouraged me as a mom to continue to love my kids well, to pour into them, to invest that quality time with them, so that more experiences like that can happen.”
As a parent, Mrs. Jasmine said this experience showed her two things.
The first was “[don’t] be afraid to take your kids places.”
And the second?
“If you see a family out and about, especially a mom with her young kids, if you say something kind, it could absolutely change her kids’ lives. It could change her day entirely, and it could just be a huge encouragement.”
