Such Innocence

7-year-old: "I have a loose tooth."

Me: "Oh! That's exciting!"

7-year-old: "Guess what I'm going to do with the money from the tooth fairy? I'm going to give the money to my Mom because she lost her job."

The First Day of School

On my way to school
I saw the children wait,
Looking for a bus
They hoped would not be late.

Anxious parents cried
At the kindergarten door
Wishing that their babies
Were babies one year more.

Brightly colored paper
Hung on every wall
Welcoming new students
As they hurried down the hall.

Teachers checked the roll
While students made new friends,
And soon the closing bell
Signaled the day's end.

On my way back home
I saw the children run
To tell their parents
All about "School Day Number One."

Tomorrow will be different--
The newness will be gone,
But memories of that First School Day
Will always linger on.

Kathy Mansfield, 2006