A person is a person no matter how small - Dr. Seuss
Ross is in 3rd Grade. I don't remember much about 3rd Grade. My teachers' hairstyle resembled Miss America 1986, I got my ears pierced and Jana Schneckloth peed in her desk. That sums it up.
Maisie is in 1st grade. What I remember about 3rd grade, I remember even less about 1st grade. I wore my Hawkeye sweater on red and gray day and felt humiliated. It was one of the longest days ever. My teacher was Mrs. Blaney and one morning I excitedly told her I got my hair cut. She responded, "No you didn't. You only got your bangs cut". Who says that to a 1st grader? I felt insignificant and dumb. Like I said, I don't remember much about 1st grade, but I do remember the way I felt on those days.
Molly is in preschool. I remember nothing about preschool, mostly because I didn't go to preschool. I did attend a library preschool and vividly remember a Christmas party with round silver pellets on cookies. I went to the garbage and threw each silver pellet in the trash. When asked what I was doing, I responded, "You can't eat bb's". The teacher laughed and I was confused.
I've come to realize big events don't survive memories for long. What truly lasts are the emotions we experience growing up. I believe every human, even the small ones, have a soul craving acceptance and importance.
Perhaps that's one reason I'm passionate about capturing kids' true emotions through photography. I believe kids experience emotions as deep, if not deeper than adults. Those emotions can be captured in their raw form if we allow kids to show us. Instead of saying 'say cheese', I like to ask a question, tell a joke, remind them of something that happened that day. It begins in their eyes, which is where I believe their most honest emotions lie. And also, where their story begins.
