Miss Emma surprises birthday boy Abe after a big loss

Image: Getty Images

As a kindergarten teacher, you know better than anyone how important a birthday is for a child. A radiant face in the most beautiful princess dress or the toughest superhero suit, a mother who runs after it with the most fantastic treats that have been made with a lot of effort; it’s just part of it.

Party hat

I am known for making the most beautiful hats for the birthday jobs. Throughout the year I save pictures, ribbons and other frills to make a true work of art. I might even enjoy it the most myself.

Today Abe from my class turns five. I want to go the extra mile for him; he just lost his father in a traffic accident. His mother, Caroline, was left with four children, Abe being the youngest. Due to the grief, Caroline can pay little attention to birthdays.

“Because of the grief, his mother can pay little attention to birthdays”

I tried very hard on his hat. Abe is a fan of Po, the smallest Teletubbie, with his scooter. Just like my daughter Lara when she was little. Lara asked for a Po-step for her fourth birthday. To get on our own, we thought. It was not for sale in regular stores, my husband searched all over the internet to find one, and he succeeded.

But when we gave our super present, Lara wasn’t happy at all. We didn’t understand it. As it turned out, she wanted a mini scooter for her Po, the doll, and not for herself. She never used her Po-step.

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Tiny step

With my daughter’s story in mind, I craft a tiny plastic scooter for Po, using little tires I bought at a toy store. I attach it to Abe’s hat with an adhesive strip. But what turns out? Abe is not at school, he is sick. Then I decide to bring him the hat home.

When I arrive at Abe’s house, Caroline opens the door. I see a tired, unkempt woman. A shadow of the old Caroline, who always looked good. I see Abe lying on the couch. “Teacher!” he exclaims happily surprised. Caroline explains that Abe has been groggy all day. “Maybe this will help a bit”, I say and hand the hat to Abe. “Look Abe, Po’s scooter!” I say. He lets out a cry of enthusiasm and immediately takes his cuddly Po out from under the blanket. He takes the scooter from the hat and puts Po on it.

“I see a tired, unkempt woman. A shadow of the old Caroline, who always looked good”

Caroline looks at me gratefully. “I haven’t been able to buy him a present yet,” she says with tears in her eyes. I grab her and say, “I can’t tell you how happy I am that I was able to do this.”

Gift

When I drive home I call Lara, now ten years old. She feels very sorry for Abe, who has lost his father. When she hears that his mother hasn’t bought him a present yet, she says, “Can’t you give him my Po-step? It’s still in the attic.”

I think it’s a bright idea. I can’t think of a better destination for the scooter. I immediately call Caroline, with the announcement that I will drop off a surprise the next day. Let’s hope Abe is happier than Lara was when she turned four.

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