As a preschool teacher, I get to experience the purest moments with children every day. One morning, during circle time, I decided to do a fun little activity to help the kids practice their communication skills. I asked each child to tell me their parents’ names.

When it was little Noah’s turn, he confidently said, “My mommy’s name is Michelle.”I smiled and praised him, then asked, “And what’s your daddy’s name?”Noah tlted his head, looking a little confused. Thinking maybe he didn’t understand, I tried another approach.“What does Mommy call Daddy?” I asked gently, expecting to hear something like “John” or “David.”

Noah’s face lit up as if he suddenly figured it out. With complete certainty, he said, “Sweetheart.”The entire class giggled, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly too. But later, the moment stayed with me. To Noah, his father wasn’t “John” or “Mr. Smith.” His identity was simply the love and kindness his mother showed him.

This small exchange reminded me of something profound: children see the world through love, not labels. What they hear and witness every day shapes how they understand relationships. Noah didn’t know his dad’s actual name because, in his eyes, “Sweetheart” was who his dad truly was—a loving partner and parent.It made me think about the words we use around children. Our actions and the way we speak to each other create their first impressions of family and care. That day, I realized that while we may strive to teach children, they often teach us lessons about love that are even more meaningful.