I sat in Relief Society and had a brief 'Pity Party' as they talked about all the new beginnings we would have as the children went to school and we'd have all the free time to do all the things we wanted to do, but couldn't during the summer. I've never had a time when I had the school year to myself without any children. I went even further in my 'Pity Party' to think that this summer I hadn't done anything productive because I was traveling or babysitting.
It had been quite an eye-opening summer as far as grandchildren. Surprise, surprise. They aren't perfect! None of them. In fact, each one has something that you, their parents, have had to work with. You have confided these things to me. I saw those unique children first hand...and marveled at the wisdom and non-coincidences that you are parents to the spirits of children you not only can handle, but understand. You nurture them, love them, and I see the weaknesses of each child turned into strengths. I returned home, happy that you were the parents you were and thought that was that. But..I love them all. I see their great spirits. I see the good in them.
As school has started, I have had some repeat 'offenders' in my classes. I say offenders, because in many cases, they were so hard to handle in 3rd grade that I was not happy to have them in my 5th grade class. In one case, a parent removed a child from my class before school even started because at meet the teacher, they saw another child in my class. I could have predicted it. I knew why. Nevertheless, I have not second-guessed the Lord in these placements and although I could have asked to not have those students, I kept them.. I know that my teaching is a calling, so I cannot have all the 'perfect' students for it to be so. But as I have seen repeated negative behavior and reached out to each child, I have had spiritual experiences with each one. The Lord has said to me, 'Here is a child with the behavior of _____________( and it would be one of my grandchildren). He/she deserves your love just as if they were your grandchild. Treat them like that."
It has happened so frequently this year that as I recalled those instances while sitting in Relief Society, the tears kept coming as I realized how much Heavenly Father loves all his children...not just my grandchildren. I hope that my grandchildren get teachers who love them the way their parents and I do.
And yes, I do have one perfect student in my class. The perfectly-behaved gifted child, who gets along with everyone, gets 100's, I overheard her talking to the other 'patrols' the first day about the kindergarteners' behavior and how they didn't do anything she said. I said, "It kind of makes you appreciate your kindergarten teacher more, doesn't it?" She thought about it, and before she left (and every day after, she said/says, 'Thank you for being my teacher."
