Moms Are Marvelous at Greenbelt Elementary

On Thursday, didn’t just tell moms they were marvelous, they showed them with a program full of stories, flowers, jokes and poetry.

There was even a touching rendition of “Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink,” sung and gestured by Rita Sayer’s pre-K students, packed with smiles and a grand “I love you” finale.

“This is their singing debut,” Greenbelt Elementary paraprofessional Michele Shorter told the parents who had gathered for the "Moms are Marvelous" breakfast and entertainment.

“I love my mommy with all my heart.” Jasmyn Brown, Jeremy Franklin’s second-grade student, said, pouring out thanks for rides to school and for cooked meals in the morning. Sharing her appreciation for her mom’s love and homework help, Jazmyn Gaines Burns said “She is very amazing. I think about her every day.”

It was a virtual cute-fest as child after child bubbled with thanks to their moms and passed out World’s Greatest Mother Awards.

Principal Kimberly Seidel also thanked the mothers and suggested ways they could take part in their children’s education. She told them research showed the more they were involved, the better their kids would do academically, and she offered the following ideas:

• Attend PTA meetings.

• Volunteer to attend a field trip.

• Coordinate a time with a teacher when you can read with your child’s class.

• Clean up after a class party, even just ten minutes helps.

• Drive your child to or from school, even if it’s only one day a year.

• Join the PTA.

• If you’re handy with technology, volunteer to help kids in the computer lab.

• Be involved at home; talk about school. Ask your child questions at dinner.

• When you are involved in a school activity, invite a neighbor to join you.

Before leaving, parents were treated to a repertoire of comic remarks that Vice Principal Denise Bush shared from moms throughout history. Who knew? But apparently Michelangelo’s mom had told him, "Can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

Albert Einstein’s mom was more concerned with his fuzzy mop, according to Bush, telling him, "But it's your senior picture. Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something?"

In closing, Bush wished them a happy early Mother’s Day and said, “Continue to be the light of your child’s world — treasure the moments.”