This morning I folded my son's school shirt, and it got me all teary-eyed.

This is his Kindergarten year.

It's a big year; more for him, but also me.

My baby is growing up.

My baby was making friends.

My baby was expanding his mind day after day and enjoying every single part of it.

We lucked out in the teacher department with him, by the grace of God, being assigned the best dang Kindergarten teacher (and perhaps, human) I know.

He loved her.

Scratch that.

He loves her.

And, he misses her.

And so do I.

But she's not too far away.

She's with us every day through our computer screen, and it's probably the best minutes of his day.

Teachers have been underappreciated for far too long.

I know we're all trying to pull some realizations out of this dang pandemic and if there's one I'm sure of, it's that teachers are angels here on Earth, placed in our children's lives to shine a light on their gifts and teach them how to use them.

This morning I folded my son's school shirt, and it got me all teary-eyed and not because I'm tired of having my kid home and want to send him back, but because I know his selfless, loving educator wants nothing more than to have him back in her classroom too.

That kind of love for children, and for mine, it surely deserves tears of gratitude and expressions of thankfulness.

In my state, yesterday, it was announced that schools were closed for the remainder of the year. It's sad. Very sad. But, what it doesn't mean is that your child's relationship with their teacher is closed.

I may be on the other side of this.

I may be the parent and not the true educator, but I can assure you of this -- if your child's got a good one, which 99.9% of them do, your kid's teacher is

open,

available,

ready,

and willing.

To teach your child.

To help you.

To love and support both of you through this.

But, do you know who also needs some love and support through this?

The teachers.

Respect them.

Appreciate them.

Express gratitude towards them.

Don't ever badmouth them.

Give them grace.

Give them a break.

And give them the unparalleled gift of loving your children well until they can, God-willing, do the same again.