By: Sarah Trescott
Interactive Marketing Manager
When I was a child I thought adults had all the answers to life’s most important questions. A couple of weeks ago I had an experience that made me realize that as an adult I may just have more questions than answers. I was at the Guadalupe School volunteering, like I do every Thursday morning, helping out with the Power Hour reading group. For an hour 5-8 second-graders and I sit around a table and practice phonics. On this particular day we had a lot to cover so I launched into the project for the day. About 5 minutes later I looked around and one little guy was missing. For about 20 heart-stopping seconds I scanned the room until I noticed a little shoe poking out from under the table. I poked my head under the table and there he sat with huge tears running down his face. I asked my little buddy if he was okay. With a look that would melt your heart, he told me he was not okay. He said, “yesterday my dad had to go back to Mexico. Things are not going to be okay until he comes back.”
At that moment I was panicking internally. “I don’t have an answer. I’m an adult, I’m supposed to have an answer. What do I tell this little guy?” I wish I could say I found some eloquent words, instead I gave him a little pat on his shoulder and told him that I was sorry and I understand why he is really sad. I think I might have said something lame about how phonics might help take his mind off of it for a while.
I know immigration is a tough issue being debated a lot right now. I am sure that if this was a simple issue then solutions would already be in place. If I do not have an answer for a little second grade boy who is missing his dad, then I for sure do not have answers to much bigger questions surrounding this debate. But I cannot help but wonder, how many more kids out there are having a rough time focusing on their classes because much bigger things are going on at home? It makes me wish that adults really would have all the answers.
