“My Son’s Teacher Sent a Video Today. Tears Ran Down My Face as I Listened to Her Words”: Mom Grateful for Teachers, Says ‘You Matter Now More Than Ever

My son’s teacher sent a video today.

As we started lessons and our new “homeschool” routine, we played the video.

I listened as she called each student by name.
My son’s face lit up as he heard her say, “Isaiah.”

She said that they need to keep working hard, keep doing their best.

She said that everything is ok.

“We can still see each other.
We still have each other.”

My son listened intently to her words as his face relaxed.

She gave him more than directions for the day,
she gave him a sense of calm of in the storm.

A bit of normalcy on this scary detour.

Tears ran down my face as I listened to her words.

I needed to hear them as much as he did.

Everything is going to be ok.
We still have each other.

Just like that I was reminded how scary this is for everyone- but especially our children.

I was also reminded how thankful I am for the teachers.

I am thankful for their hearts that truly want the best for these children.

I have heard the jokes, but I KNOW they aren’t looking at this as a “vacation” or a break. They are looking at this as a hurdle-one that we all have to work through together.

I have many teacher friends in my life and everyone of them has shared with me that they are devastated because some of their students only eat at school, and they don’t know what happens now.

The kids who can’t afford to fall behind in school-those are the very ones without access to the internet or resources to effectively home school.

So many students look to school as an escape, a safe place-and now their lives are spinning.

Our teachers are reeling over school closings.

They came into this profession because they love children. They want to make a difference.

In spite of it all, the skimpy paychecks, the overloaded system, and the ever-changing policies- they boldly entered into the profession.

And now, in the face of a National Pandemic, they keep advocating-they keep caring, more than we know.

They come up with plans and activities and online classes, knowing half of their students probably won’t be able to see it.

They help brainstorm programs and aids to reach the kids who are left in margins.

They lose sleep and shed tears for all the unknowns, but after that-they do what they have always done. They make a plan and get it done.

They look through the camera and plead with our children to keep their heads up.

They tell us to keep working hard.
Everything is going to be ok.
We still have each other.