One of the scariest things I ever faced as a mother was preparing myself for my kids to start school. I felt every emotion possible excitement, fear, hope, and worry. As adults, we’ve all had teachers who reminded us of Miss Trunchbull from Matilda or Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter, and like every parent, I prayed my children wouldn’t encounter those kinds of adults. All kids are different, and some face challenges their peers don’t understand. The last thing any parent wants is for a child especially one who already struggles to be mistreated by the very adults we trust to protect them. We all want our children to have a Ms. Honey. While many kids never get that blessing, my daughter found hers in kindergarten.
My daughter started school with a significant speech delay. I understood her because I was with her every day, but her teachers and classmates struggled. We knew she needed help, but we didn’t realize she would need an IEP. As young parents, we were scared and overwhelmed. What we didn’t know was that this challenge would lead us straight to a woman who would change our daughter’s life, and ours.
Her name was Ms. Mielke.
She didn’t just help my daughter speak. She loved her. She saw her. She got down on her level, hugged her, and made her feel safe in a world that wasn’t always kind. Some kids weren’t nice to my baby, but Ms. Mielke made sure she never felt alone. To this day, my daughter remembers those moments. She remembers the hugs. She remembers the kindness. She remembers the safety. She remembers her Ms. Honey.
As my daughter and I reminisced about the impact this woman had on our family, I decided to reach out. I didn’t know if she would remember us school staff meet hundreds of children, but she did. We set up a day to meet and take a few photos. When she walked up, she was exactly the same sweet, spirited woman who once gave me hope that my daughter would be okay. She hugged my daughter the same way she did when she was little not a polite hug, but a “this is one of my babies” hug.
As they caught up on everything my daughter has accomplished graduating from the magnet program, thriving in college with a 4.0 GPA in communications, earning honors I could see genuine pride in her eyes. Not just pride in a former student, but pride in a young woman she once helped guide. Then she said something that nearly broke me: “You were so easy to love.” As a mother, hearing someone say that about your child someone who cared for them when you weren’t there is everything.
I am a huge advocate for teachers and school staff. They have one of the hardest jobs in the world. But not all adults leave a positive mark on children. Some do harm. Some do nothing. And some like Ms. Mielke change lives. My daughter told me, “Mama, she was always nice to me.” That alone puts her on my “good list” forever.
As my daughter approaches her senior year of college and my son prepares to be a sophomore, I find myself reflecting on the people who helped us along the way. The ones who stood in the gap. The ones who loved our children when they needed it most. Parents, when you find a teacher or staff member who goes the extra mile for your child, love them back. Appreciate them. Let them know their work matters.
As we prepared to leave, she gave my daughter encouraging words that let me know she still carries her in her heart. We all cried me, my daughter, and even Ms. Mielke. My daughter said, “Mama, she’s still the same sweet woman she was when I was little,” and in that moment, I knew this reunion was meant to happen.
If you are a teacher, speech pathologist, school worker, or someone who dreams of becoming one, please understand the weight of your role in a child’s life. You get to choose who you will be a Miss Trunchbull or a Ms. Honey.
Mrs. Mielke, as a mother, thank you for being everything my daughter needed in that season. Thank you for giving us tools to help her at home, for believing in her, and for loving her when she needed more than academics. When she transitioned to a new school, you sent us materials to help her continue growing. You didn’t have to, but you did. Please remember, on the hard days, that your work was not in vain. You changed my daughter’s life. And you changed mine. As a fellow mother, I appreciate you loving her as if she were your own. I hope one day you write a book and share your journey. Even if you never hear from another student again, know that you left a permanent mark on ours.
Thanks,
A grateful mother,
Felecia
