If you're mom or dad, can you please do me a favor?
Talk to your lil' ones, and ask about their favorites, crushes, worries, and fears. Tell wonderful stories, run with them and play with them even the toys scattered around, though they make a mess in the kitchen sink, though they write on the walls, dance with them and sing with them though you can't even follow a beat and even you're out of tune.
Hug them when they're happy and lonely, tell them they're worthy of anything in this world, and discipline them when they are wrong. Take them to libraries, parks, malls, playgrounds, museums, and churches, or just walk with them in any place. Eat ice cream with them and buy them a book, cook food for them - they would brag it to all of their classmates 'cause everyone already has ordered food. Hug them and tell them how much you love them.
Give them rewards when they did something great once in a while, and consequences when they hurt others. Allow them to fail in Mathematics because maybe some of them are artists, linguists, scientists, poets, painters, magicians, dancers, or anyone they want to be.
Please don't fight their classmates when they got into fistfights, just listen to them and you'll see they already know what to do 'cause after this, they would play again.
If you can't leave them, please don't.
Fetch them at school, attend meetings, class presentations, and recognitions and watch their competitions. Please sign their cards, tell them they did good and inspire them that they can do better but don't pressure them if they can't. I promised you, they would always be excited 'cause they know it matters to you.
So please if you can make yourself available please do it.
You may give everything they want but it won't always be enough. Your presence is all they need.
PLEASE - lend your ears even if they tell meaningless stories, look at their notes when they have homework, help them when they have projects, check if they still have papers and pencils, and look in their bags if their snacks and lunch are already there. And please, give her some flowers and tell her- she's beautiful, please take him in the field and tell him- he's strong.
Again, don't forget to fetch them at school.
I know you're trying your best but your presence is all they need.
Because when they are at school some of them want to play all day 'cause no one plays with them, some of them just want to converse all day 'cause no one converses with them, some of them become mean and hurt others 'cause they want some attention, some of them are lonely and tired 'cause they wait for you at night, some of them don't want colors 'cause they think that life is all dark and sad, some of them are uninspired 'cause no one shows up when they have an important event.
It's saddening, for us- teachers. We're trying our best to help them, but it isn't enough. Your presence is all they need. So please can you do me a favor, if you can make yourself available, please do it.
BECAUSE - when they are with their classmates and get along with us, they always brag about how awesome you are, that you work at night, cook good food, comb their hair, they even repeat your words, they tell that you pray to God, they tell that you teach them to be kind, they tell how loving and caring you are but some remain silent.
BECAUSE- whenever you make yourself available, they feel seen and loved.
So please can you do me a favor, if you can make yourself available please do it.
