“But I don’t want to make a Mother’s Day card because I don’t have a mother,” he told me. Heartbreaking. What do I say? In the end I decided the compassionate things was to allow him to do something else.

This is the reality for many of the children in our classes. They may only have one parent or they may live with grandparents or an aunt or a guardian. It is wise to have an alternative plan for these children. If we are their homeroom teacher, we may already know this. If we are a substitute teacher, it’s good to be aware that we may face this situation around this time of year.

I often suggest that the children write the card to their grandmother or grandfather or to the other parent, thanking them for being the mom and the dad. However, in the end, if they want to read instead, I allow them to read. Compassion says making a card is not important. Showing understanding is.