Waimea Elementary students reflect on their moms

Mom. It’s a simple, little, three-letter word that can evoke so much emotion, memory and comfort.

Mom. It’s a simple, little, three-letter word that can evoke so much emotion, memory and comfort.

Today is Mother’s Day, a time to cherish and celebrate moms from all walks of life. In celebration of the national event, Waimea Elementary School first-graders from Lia Shaw and Laenette Hudgins’ classes were asked Wednesday to share what makes their mother so special. They also revealed their guesses about the holiday’s origins and what moms really want.

Jessie Silva, 7, thinks God invented Mother’s Day because “he invented everything, even us.” What Silva said he appreciates about his mom, Tess, is how she feeds and shelters him, as well as makes him happy. A particular trait he likes about Tess is how “she always keeps her promises,” such as signing him up for soccer or buying him something special as a reward for good deeds. His advice to kids at a loss about what to do for their moms on this special day was simple: “Do anything. Anything good and that will make her happy.”

Keoni Tarpley Ancheta, 7, thinks dads invented Mother’s Day because “they wanted to be nice.” He said the premise behind the whole day is “to visit with your mom, tell her that she’s pretty and nice, tell her that you love her and what you like about her, and then do something really nice.” Tarpley Ancheta said doing something nice for his mom, Kristy, might consist of making a special meal with her today, possibly hamburgers, a favorite of his.

Ariana Hudgins said kids are definitely the masterminds behind Mother’s Day because “they love their moms the most and think they are the best.” According to the 6-year-old girl, her mom, Misty, is the best for two very important reasons — “She loves me and my brother forever, and she loves taking care of us.”

Hudgins explained Misty was so pretty that she was a model. Besides her beauty, the thing Hudgins admires most about her mom is her wisdom. The best advice she has received came from Misty, who told her “to be kind,” which resulted in more friends.

Seven-year-old Rylee Velazquez claims her mom, Iwa, is not like the others she knows. “She plays zombie games with me almost every day, and it’s awesome. She is awesome,” Velazquez said in a matter-of-fact tone. Other amazing things Velazquez attributed to her mom included supporting her at everything she does, making her feel better whenever she’s hurt and encouraging her to follow her dreams. This Mother’s Day, Velazquez plans to spend lots of time with Iwa, doing nice things and giving her homemade presents. The first-grader added, she couldn’t wait until she’s older because then she’ll be able to drive Iwa anywhere she wants.

Anela Reyes said her mom, Misty, is funny and “always laughing very loudly like Mrs. Shaw,” which causes others to join in the mirthfulness. Reyes also thinks her mom is smart because “she always knows what to do and how to make things better.” For example, the 7-year-old girl said on the first day of school Misty told her to listen to the teacher and not play around when in the classroom. Reyes said following this advice has helped make her a good student.

Kamahao Kanekoa described his mom, Wardene, as having black hair and working at a hair salon. Asked if she has nice hair because of her occupation, he responded with a smile, “Not always.” What the 7-year-old boy likes most about his mom is how kind and loving she is, as well as how she takes good care of everyone. He said Mother’s Day is important because “moms work hard every day and should be recognized for everything they do.”

The driving force behind Mother’s Day was Anna Jarvis, although she was never married nor had any children. She was inspired by her mother, who had the desire that someday all mothers would be recognized and celebrated. Jarvis organized observances in Grafton, Va., and Philadelphia on May 10, 1908. As the annual celebration became popular around the country, Jarvis asked Congress to set aside a day to honor mothers. She finally succeeded in 1914, when Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.