A picture of the future

It was Miss C's 3rd year Parents' Evening last night. I'd had the interim report a few weeks ago, which indicated that she was doing well. I know her attitude and I know she works hard so I had expected positive updates from all her teachers. What I did not expect was to be almost moved to tears by one teacher.

We did indeed get great reports from all her teachers - she is diligent, mature, doing well in all her classes, and it makes me happy. But one teacher, her Art teacher, actually gushed. About what a wonderful kid she is. About how super-talented she is. About how she works hard and has an amazing future in art ahead of her. And about how she isn't arrogant and how she helps others in the class and is a role model. I sat there and listened to this woman show just how much she cares and how much she thinks of my daughter, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

I'll be the first to say it; as an ex-teacher I value academic studies very highly, and it makes me happy that Chloe works hard and does well in her academic subjects. In fact, when Chloe was little, I probably imagined her with a future in a very academic driven subject and career. That was what I saw as success, because it was what I was good at. I wasn't looking at the whole picture.

For all Chloe is very much a mini-me, she is also most definitely her own person, and her talent has opened my eyes. She 'gets it' and sees her way of contributing to the world in a way I didn't until I was much older. She understands that her rules of life are her own. I never dreamed that I would have a daughter who was so amazingly talented artistically; and who would discover her gift and passion quite so early in life.

Chloe doesn't know exactly what career she wants to do yet, but she does know it will be something in art. I know that's not the easiest field to get into, and that it will take hard work from Chloe, and support from me to get her into this career that will make her happy. Even though I don't know much about that world, my support is what she'll get. Because my daughter is amazing. She is already an artist. And I'm her biggest fan.