The first Principal I ever taught for used to say “It’s not what we teach them that they’ll remember, but it’s how we made them feel. That’s what they’ll hold onto.” I tried to put that close to my heart over the years. With my students, then with my own kids and now these days it’s also with YOUR kids.

I want your kid to know that it’s ok to show up as they are. Tell me what they need, tell me what they want and what they don’t want. Tell me about the biggest bubble gum bubble they ever made and about their favorite ninja kick and how they hate spaghetti sauce and how their dress-up pants are super itchy. And I’m gonna wait. I’m gonna talk and wait and snap and talk and snap some more and at the end, I hope you’ll see them as I saw them. All squishy eyed smiles and red cheeks and four different moods in 30 minutes time.

And hopefully I’ve worn them out for you just a tad….because it’s also a little bit about you.