Letter to My Daughter, March 2017

Letter to My Daughter, March 2017

17 April 2017

Hi potato,

Parent teacher conference is this month. This time, I decided to sign up for individual meetings with your teachers.

I arrived five minutes late from my first meeting with your social science teacher. I was gasping for breath and feeling too warm after climbing five flights of stairs.

I was trying to find my way when I was face-to-face with a "kid" in a tie, who quickly asked me, "Jocelyn's mom?"

Ah, this must be Mr. C.

I sat down and listened to him talking very highly about you and sharing suggestions. Then I moved on to the next meeting with your Math and Science teacher, then your Computer Science teacher, and finally the ELA teacher.

It is no secret that I always humiliate myself in these meetings. That is because I always end up crying. To me, you are an amazing daughter and a human being. But hearing this from your teachers really turned me into a mellow marshmallow.

I learned a great deal from these meetings. And you did too. Ms. L put you in certain groups in ELA class because you are focused and determined. She knows that she can count on you to help your friends stay on track. (Hello, assistant teacher!)

You and A are paired with K and G in math. It is not because you and A are first in the Coca-Cola project and they are second. The four of you are strong in math, but you and A are quiet, while K and G are more active. Being on the same team can help you learn from each other.

We learned that advancing your leadership skills will help you excel and stand out from the crowd.

My dear potato, you still have a long journey ahead of you. I believe you will get far. I believe in you. And I will try to be there for as long as I can, to celebrate with you, to pat you on the back and to cheer you on, but also to give hugs when you need ones.

In closing, I'd like to share this short poem with you.

Promise me you'll always remember
you're braver than you believe
stronger than you seem
and smarter than you think
-winnie the pooh

I love you poh-ta-to.
From toh-ma-to