How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways

Mother in the words and pictures of Kathleen Smith’s second-graders at Arnold Elementary School

We make a fuss of our mothers on Mother’s Day because they’ve made a fuss of us for so many days of so many years. Nobody better appreciates the good that mothers do for us than kids, whose worlds revolve around their mothers like the planets around the sun. So that’s who we asked to write this year’s Mother’s Day feature.

We chose second graders because of their lively mix of innocence and sophistication. Mom’s still the heroine of these innocents, who are newly literate as well as articulate.

We chose teacher Kathleen Smith’s second-grade students at Arnold Elementary School because we had a Bay Weekly emissary to the class in Elsa Leigh ‘Ellie’ Knoll, daughter of Alex and Lisa Knoll, our COO and director of sales and marketing, and granddaughter of editor and publisher Sandra Olivetti Martin.

Principal Rosemary Biggart generously agreed to allow her students to work with us, and teacher Smith made editor Martin’s assignment a class exercise in interdisciplinary learning.

Twenty-two students wrote essays on the good things their mothers do for them and drew portraits of their mothers and, often, themselves.

Read on to see what makes a good mother — and feel the love.

–Sandra Olivetti Martin

My mom is fantastic in many ways. One way is she gives us spectacular food. Also she packs us our lunches. She also takes care of all of us. Plus my screaming baby sister Katherine. Also she is fantastic because she helps us with our homework and school stuff!! Birthday parties are special because mom plans them. She also really likes to make cookies for us!! Sometimes she takes me to a lot of things like sports. I always joke around with my mom. Jack, Elinor and Emma don’t listin to her, though. But like she always says, No matter how much I get mad at you, I will always love you.

–Charles Brady

My mom is super in many ways. If I have a good report card she gives me a treat. She buys me a lot of stuff, and gives a lot of stuff to charity. She is a good sport. My mom goes to the supermarket on Tuesdays to get me something and sometimes she brings McDonolds to my lunch. My mom is the BEST.

–Sean Capps

My mom is marvelous. The best mom in the world is the way my mom rates. She makes treats like brownies. Her brownies are so sweet just like her. I love her to the moon and back. Just like you love your mom.

–Morgan Dowling

My mom is spectacular in many different ways such as if I win a championship game or if I lose a playoff, she takes me out for ice cream. My mom works and buys food, takes us to games and takes us on trips and to baseball, lacrosse, volleyball and football games. She takes us to restaurants and arcades, too. Taking care of us is very important to her. When alowence is ready, she makes money fair. Sometimes she takes me to lacrosse practice. She is so kind. She lets me have sleepovers and play dates.

She helps me when I get hurt. She takes me to my football, baseball and basketball practice and games, too. She plans my parties and provides us with stuff. She helps me with my homework. She helps me spell stuff. My mom would teach me how to throw, walk, kick, hit and catch. My mom loves to cook. She is awesome! She is the best!

–Luke Farnie

My mom has so many wonderful qualities. She plays lacrosse with me in the yard. My mom and I spent time kayaking in Florida. It was so fun. Laundry isn’t my mom’s favorite thing but she does that for me anyways. Brownies or cupcakes are treats my mom serves to us because she loves making them. My mom spends time taking me to sports. Also, she took us to Disney. When I’m sick my mom lets me stay home. These are just some of the great things my mom does for me.

–Logan Gatling

My mom is super in so many ways. She makes pudding for the family. Also she buys clothes for me. I love the way she makes soup. She had seven babies. Sometimes she takes me to ballet practice. When Jeb, my brother, has lacrosse practice she takes him and me and Levi to go with her. Then we drive back home and she makes dinner that’s really, really good. She tucks me into bed and sings songs with me. Those are the ways my mom is super.

–Corrie Gilman

It is my report card day, so wonderful, horray! My mom has something nice for me, hopefully a yummy treat. She drives me to school, isn’t she so so cool. She’s coming in for lunchtime, bringing food that’s really fine. As an artist she’s the best; she always helps me study for tests. Now it’s time to go to bed and my mommy led. My mom is super great! I think she is first rate.

–Sophie Jacobs

Awsome is the best way to describe my mom. My mom is awsome because she has three kids. She feeds us what we want for lunch. She lets us play where we want when we want. She works downtown. She gives me five things for each of my birthdays. I am really happy she is my mom. She brings me to soccer practice and games. She reads me Dr. Seuss books. She also likes the Ravens. I am so glad she is my mom.

–Erin Jones

My mom is super in so many ways. When I’m sick she takes care of me. She plays games with me. She always helps me with my homework. When it’s my birthday she lets me pick out a present. My mom lets me have soda sometimes. On warm days she plays catch with me. I love my mom so much. Me and my mom read books together. She makes me dinner.

–Jackson Killelea

My mom is super in so many ways. She makes me so happy when I’m blue. I think I’ll give that back to her. She goes to meetings. She makes breakfast and lunch and snack. I think my mom is superwoman. She taught me things and taught me well. Now I’m older so I now know those things. She’s the best … better than the rest. She’s a special mom you see. I think that she’s imprest with me. She’s my mom you see So I’m impressed with what she dose. I can imagen her reading this now. She’s happy and joyful.

–Elsa Knoll

I love my mom because when it is Friday or Saturday night, my sister, my mom and I get to go out for ice cream. Only sometimes we do. She mostly makes everything for my family. When we go to the mall together, she always lets us get shoes, clothes and Chick fil-A.

Once my family and I went to a birthday party. It was a rolerskating party. The rolerskating place had a toy shop there. And it was a supper duper long line and we were in a rush. My mom let me stay to get the toy that I wanted. My dad and my sister alredy left. So we went with are friends. So that whole entire part is about how my mom let me stay here just for me to get the toy that I wanted.

My mom is the best, She is even going to let my sister, my dad, her and I go see Oceans.

–Devon McMahon

My mom is wonderful in many ways. Each day she buys food at Safeway. She buys me silly bands in many shapes and clothes that I want. My mom is super nice. I love her so much. On field trips, she comes with me.

–Garrett Middleton

My mom is so nice and funny. She is cool. I have had a fun life with her. So far, I like her. I say goodbye to her before school. She says goodnight to me. My mom always makes dinner, lunch and breakfast oh, and does the laundry. She kinda does everything for us. I bet its hard. I love my mom. She is rely rely rely nice and fun. She is so nice. She drove us to a birthday party that was in a big snowstorm. It was bad. We didn’t think we could make it! That’s how my mom is. Bye!

–Gavin Middleton

My mom is nice. I couldn’t live without her. If you ask me there’s nothing wrong about her! Shes cool and has good manners, and we are pals that will last forever. I love you for who you are. You’re so sweet, Mom!

–Jack Peery

Awesome is the best way to describe my mom. Back when I was five years old, my mom had a very bad sickness. She had cancer. We would visit her every weekend. She made the best tuna casserole and eggplant parmudgeaun. It tasted so good.

When I turned six years old, we moved to another place. It was hard to get to the hospital because of the location. So we sent cards to her. When she’d scratch my back, it would tikkle. My mom was the best mom ever.

When I turned seven years old, my mom had past on. When I herd I cried my head off, but I knew that I would still live whithout her. I think of her every night and day.

–Emilia Rowel

My mom is sweet in so many ways I can’t think. Me and my mom watched a movie together. My mom is really friendly with dogs. When I come home with my report card, my mom makes a special dinner. She helps me with my homework and keeps me save. She drives me to concerts and comes to my plays. She gives me my allowance! My mom is awesome.

–Lucas Schlage

My mom has so many wonderful qualities. Mom teaches me how to play sports like soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics. When she was little, she played all of those sports!!!!!!! Also, when mom sees someone hurt, she helps them right away. Shes a good, good, good sport. Mom gets things my family needs like food, water and other goods my family needs. When its time to eat, shes already cooking the food. My mom makes most of the family meals. Mom loves me with all her heart. My mom takes me and our friends bowling every Saturday night. Its always so much fun bowling. She takes me everywhere! I love my mother so, so much! She loves and cares for me. My mom is the best ice-cream maker in the whole world. I love my mom.

–Alyssa M. Scott

Awesome is the best way to describe my mom. My mom gives me candy whenever I’m sick. Also she is great because she always drives me to my sports. Cooking is one of my mom’s best talents. She even helps me with my homework a lot. My mom gets me great presents on my birthday. Here is the last one, she is the best!

–Dan Shea

My mom is super in many ways. She takes me to the movies if she finds one online. She usually makes diner while my dad has to bos everybody who works for him. She helps me find out the prices of toys and things I want to buy. I help her make her bed. I se her do the londry and put away my toys. We help her make dinner and do her chors while my dad is at medings. We go outside well she makes the house cleen. She helps me get to my lokros practice and games. When I ferget my walit, she pays for me and then I pay her bake. My mom throws my lacros ball to help me becom the best on my tem.

–Kendal Shields

There are so many ways my mom is awesome. You can’t count them all. When special occasions come around, my mom lets someone eat off the blue plate that says it’s your day. She is really sweet. She will wax your eyebrows. My mom will drive me and my friends to trapees all the time. She is the best. She will plan really fun vacations for the family. These are just a few things that make her so great.

–Georgia Sines

My mom is super in so many ways. She can help me with my homework. Stray animals are my mom’s friend. She adopts them all. Sometimes she will shut down circuses that use animals. My school supplies are bought by her, and so is my sports equipment. Her dinners are so good. Sometimes she takes me to the batting cage and also to the pool. I love when we take a walk together. This is why my mom is really cool.

–Trevor Smith

My mom is super in many ways. She gives stuff to the poor (aka charity). She is nice to everyone. She knows what is best for us and tells us what to do. Every day she gives us what we need to live. We do stuff that is good for the earth and she does not take a break. The things she does good for the earth are picking weeds, planting flowers and everything else. She is nice to bugs that come in the house. She puts them back outside and does not touch the fly swatter. If I could love anyone more, it is my mom.