Several of my jobs the last few years have included working with and mentoring kids ages 5 and up. I am privileged to say I was a daycare teacher, a 6- and 7-year-old teacher at Girls Inc., a nanny and currently a youth leader at my church. Although my major has nothing to do with kids, I seem to have a knack for being around them.

So, to all my kids, who are not technically mine, I hope you read this someday.

Thank you for being so originally funny. Whether you believe it or not, in my resting b*$%& face, I do secretly laugh at the things you say and do. I once overheard a conversation from twins on the way back from the Humane Society about who was getting a cat and who was getting a dog (hypothetically of course). One twin said, “I’m moving in with you when we’re older” and the other said, with the most passion I’ve ever seen out of him, “NO JORDAN, I’M GETTING A CAT.” The look of disappointment on his brother’s face was enough to hinder my snickers from the front seat.

Don’t hate me. It may not always seem like it, but I promise I put you in timeout for a reason. I know it made you have less time to play with your friends and you missed out on the conversations that day. However, maybe you shouldn’t have kicked sand in that kid’s face or tried summoning demons into our daycare using the “Charlie Charlie, are you there?” trick. You’ll understand when you get older that it is cool to be a good kid.

You have taught me so much. Every year Super Summer, I learn to open up to you guys and you guys do the same for me. Thank you for letting me know what you’re going through, even though you haven’t told anyone else. I try my best to relate, but always tell you “We all experience things in our own way.” I hope you know it’s not meant to be insensitive, but more or less a way to change perspective. Thank you for all the trust you have instilled in me and know that it’s never gone away and you can still come to me for anything.

Please remember me, because I will remember you. I think about my former children quite often. And while you may not remember sitting on my lap crying for mom during a thunderstorm or random dancing to Teen Beach Movie songs, I do. I remember your personality and your little quirks that made you so special to me. Like how Alex can talk to me about Minecraft for hours on end, or when I would sit on the bleachers with Jamese to discuss the relationship of Unikitty and Benny from the Lego Movie.

Believe it or not, I remember you from many years ago. I think about you. I miss you. I pray for you. I really hope you do good things in life and that I get to say I was somehow a part of it, even if it was for a short while.

Sincerely,

Miss Sidney