My child's poem

I Am

I am a human

I wonder what I'll be when I grow up.

I hear talking.

I see words in my book.

I want to get strait As on all grades.

I pretend I have a lot of wishes.

I believe in myself.

I touch my desk.

I feel well.

I worry about nothing.

I cry for being hurt badly.

I understand people.

I love my family.

I am - a human.

This is the poem my third grade son wrote at school. The first two words were provided so he just needed to fill the rest. When his teacher gave this to me at Parents and Teachers' conference, I cried. It was embarrassing and I am sure I was not the only parent who cried over the child's poem in front of her but- I just couldn't help it.

When I read the part" I believe in myself" was the beginning. Then " I worry about nothing" "I understand people" and "I love my family".

As parents, we do not get visible things in return very often and we always wonder if we are doing an okay job or failing in some parts but this was one of the moments when I realized that we were doing at least some things right to have him write this. I know, it's simple things and he probably didn't mean anything deep. But now I know he has enough confidence in him to say he believe in himself. He has hopes- he worries about nothing. He understands people around him. And he loves his family. Maybe I am more sensitive because I am pregnant.

But it really gave me courage and strength to carry on. No matter what happens in the future and no matter how mean I appear to him, (well, mean is my middle name anyway) I hope he always come back to this poem and remember how he felt.