Who cries at a parent-teacher conference?

By Aysu Basaran

Posted: June 6, 2010

Just last week, I attended my oldest daughter’s last parent-teacher conference of the year.

I got an update on recent test scores and assignments… a pretty typical meeting between parent and teacher.

As we wrapped things up, her teacher shared one last assessment, a writing project. As she handed it to me she said, “I’ve read many of these, but this one caused me to tear up.” I wondered why and as soon as I saw it I knew. The essay was titled, “Papa.” It contained all of the wonderful things she shared with her grandfather before he passed away. In fact, I can hardly type this post without tears in my eyes.

My daughter wrote about sharing ice cream with her Papa and going to the park with him. She even remembered how he would sing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" to wake her up in the mornings. And she recalled how sad she felt when he died. Her grandfather passed away nearly three years ago and now at age nine, she still remembers him like it was yesterday. She remembers everything.

I shared the essay with a colleague who has grandchildren. She said, “I hope my grandkids will remember me this way.” That message really hit home for me. How do grown ups gauge success? If it’s measured in love and lasting impressions, I’m pretty sure that Papa was one successful man… the kind of man that would inspire such a touching and sensitive essay.

And so I left my parent-teacher conference with tears in my eyes amazed I had a daughter who forgets nothing and appreciates everything.

Aysu is the busy mom of three girls and assistant news director at WRAL-TV.

4 Comments

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Thanks so much for your comments... And Twittyfan, thank you for your advice. I really love the balloon idea. - Aysu

aysutv2
June 7, 2010 3:33 p.m.

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That's a beautiful story. I'm crying too thinking about my own grandparents. I lost my last one in March. What I wouldn't give to have one more day with each of them.

Canes Girl Forever
June 7, 2010 1:14 p.m.

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My daughter lost her father and my husband almost 4 years ago and she was 6 and she wrote a poem and a story about her father. The teachers and I had tears running down our faces. She can remember things like it happened yesterday. To be a 6 year old and called 911 and told them how to get to our house and our name and ages she is my little HERO. We keep him alive in our lives and I think that is what has helped her deal with the loss because so many people dont talk about the ones that have passed and this is so sad. Every night her last sentence in her prayers are "Daddy you better be waiting for me and my mama when we get to the gates!!" Tell your daughter to always talk about things and write them on paper about her papa. Maybe get her to write a message on a balloon once in awhile and send it up that is one thing that we do.