The Gifts That Never Appear on a Report Card

Dear Friends,

Blessings!

Through many years of priestly and pastoral ministry, I have come to understand this.

I have met adults who are successful yet struggle to recognize their own worth. Sometimes, when they speak about childhood, a pattern appears: they learned to measure their value by performance.

Good grades mattered. Winning mattered. Recognition mattered.

When they succeeded, they felt valued. When they struggled, they wondered whether they themselves were not enough.

That is something I hope we can help prevent in our children.

We should encourage our children to work hard, persevere, and use their talents. But while encouraging what they do, we must never lose sight of helping them discover who they are.

Before your child earns an A, scores a goal, makes the team, or receives an award, something more important is already true:

Your child is created by God, known by God, and loved by God.

God has placed gifts within every child. Some are obvious. Others take years to emerge. Some of the greatest gifts may never appear on a report card: compassion, generosity, patience, faith, courage, forgiveness, leadership, or noticing someone who is lonely.

At St. Agnes Catholic Academy, our hope is to form more than successful students. Together with you, we want to form disciples who know they are loved by God, recognize the gifts He has entrusted to them, and learn to place those gifts at the service of others.

That formation requires time. Our children need us to listen and help them recognize what they may not yet see:

“I noticed that you did not give up.”

“I am proud of the person you are becoming.”

And after disappointment:

“This did not go the way you hoped, but nothing about these changes how much you are loved.”

Failure is something a child experiences. It should never define them.

Perhaps our conversations at home can move beyond “What grade did you get?” and include:

“What did you learn?”

“How did you treat others today?”

“Where did you see God?”

And sometimes, simply say:

“I thank God for who you are.”

One day, report cards and trophies will be forgotten. But a child who knows, “I am loved, I have a purpose, and my life can become a gift to others,” will carry something far more valuable into adulthood.

Does my child know that I value who he or she is, not simply what he or she accomplishes?

Together, We are St. Agnes!

Forming minds, hearts, and souls for Christ.

Fr. jc