“No one loves me,” Nat stated matter-of-factly.

Nat knows that his mom does not want him, and his grandmother makes him feel like he is a burden to her. So in his heart, he carries the feeling of “Nobody appreciates me.

Nat is 10 years old and regularly comes to our learning center to study English after school along with his two half-brothers. It has been challenging to teach them. Nat has a hard time in school. He cannot focus when he studies, and he gets bullied a lot.

His home life is difficult, too. His mother abandoned the boys when Nat was in preschool. Today, they live with their grandmother, but sadly, their relationship with her is usually not warm or caring. Sometimes they show up with open wounds or sores, and they are usually hungry because their grandmother has not fed them. 

One day in English class, we were playing a game aimed at increasing our students’ Thai and English vocabulary regarding emotions. Wanting to help my students recognize love and know that they are loved, I asked them to think about an experience when they felt love or when someone showed love to them. Nat struggled.

“I have no one who loves me, Teacher,” he said.   

“I play with you because I love you. I help you with your schoolwork because I love you. I clean your wounds when you get hurt because I love you. You are loved. Just remember this,” I replied.  

After finishing the activity, I hugged all the students. Nat didn’t like it when other students asked to hug me.

“Teacher, don’t love them, don’t give them hugs!” he said. “If you love them, you will not have enough love for me.” 

Nat wasn’t jealous. He was afraid. He was afraid that my love would run out. 

I looked into his eyes and said, “Did you know that love has power? Did you know that the more love you share, the more you have to give? That is the power of love. Don’t worry. I will always have enough love for you and everyone.”

Nat’s eyes lit up. 

To grow, children need to feel safe and loved. As adults, we have to show them every day that they are loved and appreciated.

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