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I am dedicated to children
Who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
Who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,
Who sneak popsicles before supper,
Who can never find their shoes.

And I am dedicated to those
Who stare at photographs from behind barbed wire,
Who've never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers,
Who've never counted "1 potato, 2 potato",
Who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead in,
Who never go to the circus,
Who live in an X-rated world.

I am dedicated to children
Who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
Who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,
Who hug us on the run and forget their lunch boxes,
Who cover themselves with Band-Aids and sing off-key,
Who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink.

And I am dedicated to those
Who never get dessert,
Who have no safe blanket to drag behind,
Who can't find any bread to steal,
Who don't have any rooms to clean up,
Whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
Whose monsters are real.

I am dedicated to children
Who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
Who throw tantrums in the grocery store,
Who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
Who get visits from the tooth fairy
Who don't like to be kissed in front of their friends,
Who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at
And whose smiles can make us cry.

And I am dedicated to those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything,
Who have never seen a dentist,
Who aren't "spoiled" by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being.

I am dedicated to children
Who want to be carried, and for those who must.
For those we never give up on
And for those who haven't a chance.
For those we smother—and for those who will grab
The hand of anybody kind enough to offer.

I am dedicated to the children.

Adapted from "We Pray for Children" by Ina Hughes

The Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes
530 East Day Road • Mishawaka, Indiana 46545
Phone 574.256.5313 • Fax 574.256.5493 • www.tma-el.org
Webmaster contact: dixie.sheetz@gmail.com