For many parents, the morning rush on a school day can be quite chaotic. Getting all of the kids fed, dressed and properly groomed before school as well as making sure they have their backpacks, a water bottle, their lunchbox and their homework is a lot. Add to that the stress of getting yourself ready for work at the same time, and it’s easy to see why once in awhile a child misses the school bus or a parent is late to morning drop off.

Heather Nelson Thompson has multiple young children, and one day, she was running late dropping them off at school. When she rolled up to Roy J Wollam Elementary School to drop off her son, Royce Woodrow Thompson, she knew he needed to hurry if he didn’t want to be late for class.

Heather urged her son to hurry, but she noticed him disobeying her. He did the exact opposite. He stopped, bowed his head, and stood still. She had no idea what was going on until the school officer walked over to the car and told her.

Watch the video below to see why Royce disobeyed his mom and her reaction when she found out what was going on.

After the officer told Heather what her son was doing, she snapped a picture which she posted on Facebook. Her post was shared about 2500 times.

Heather wrote in her Facebook post, “I was saying ‘Royce … go … go’ as kids walked around him. Well, he didn’t budge and I thought what is this child doing?” 

She explained to ABC News, “I didn’t hear the intercom because I had two other kids in the back, and then the officer stopped me and said lightly, ‘He’s good, he’s good. He just said the pledge of allegiance.’”

Heather told ABC13, “I am very proud of him to represent the most two amazing things, God and our country.”

Watch the video below to hear Royce, his mom and the officer at the school talk about what happened on that morning Royce was running late for school.

Royce later explained that the prayer he said after the Pledge of Allegiance was to thank God for a great day.

Do your children say the Pledge of Allegiance at school? Do you think they’d stop to say the Pledge even if they were running late to school?