Children can be brutally honest. But at least when they’re sweet, you can be fairly sure it’s genuine.

The tributes below are examples of the saccharine sentiments of a few Lawrence children.

The subject: mom.

Karen DeVictor, a fourth-grade teacher at Quail Run School, invited her students to answer the Journal-World’s call for stories of miraculous mothers for inclusion in our Mother’s Day coverage. These children took her up on the offer.

Each spent about half an hour last Thursday writing a letter; a couple even took theirs home to work secretly that night. The next day, DeVictor spent another half hour proofreading with the students. She didn’t make any changes to the student’s final work.

Here’s what the children said about their moms:

Catrina Loney

I must admit, sometimes, I’ve never appreciated my mom. I used to think, “When I grow up, I’ll be nicer to my kids.” Gradually, I began to realize that the only reason I think she’s been strict is because I’ve been a big brat lately. How many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or even years did my mom have to put up with my stubbornness? I get mad at her for some idiotic reason, and we get into an argument, and I leave in a huff. Who knows if she’s felt horrible or heart sick?

She quit her nursing job just to take care of me every day when I was only 3. So, why do I take Mom for granted? Why do I not take it as a blessing that Mom comes home alive every day after an errand? Why don’t I appreciate her when she spends time with me? Sadly, I’ve never really found out the answers to those questions, and I never may, but I will always know one thing: I love my mom. My love for her is more than anyone can imagine. My love grows for her each day. I don’t need science to know a thing like that. It is deep down in my heart. Right there. No searching needed.

When I was little, my mom would curl up and read stories with me every time I asked. Now she takes care of me when I’m sick. She’s helping me through life and all of my problems and questions. Sometimes she has answers, sometimes she doesn’t, but her love for me is all I really care about now.

My mom comforts me in hard times and encourages me to do new things. She’s helped me through family deaths. What I never realized was, all the time she helped me through my sufferings, that she might have been suffering, too. I love my mom. I can say it 300 times, and you may think I’m just saying is to say it, but every time I say, “I love my mom,” I mean it. Every time I say, “Mom, I love you,” my love for her grows. My mom is wonderful. No one can deny it. I’d like someone to try. Sometimes, I may be mad at her, and sometimes I may not be. But always, deep down inside of me, I’m glad God chose to make her, and that she is my mom.

Mom, I love you.

— By Elise Loney

Marlene Woodard

How much I love my mother is unexplainable. Words cannot express the guilt when I have disobeyed her. A voice can not tell about the soft spot in my heart she has caused me to develop. I can not think of one thing she has said to me that wasn’t for the best.

“Wear pants, it’s too cold for shorts.”

“Don’t sit too close to the TV, it’s bad for your eyes.”

“Clean your room.”

“Eat your veggies.”

“Drink your milk.”

To me, it all seems like, “Blah, blah, blah, blah,” but when I sit and think about it, all of the do’s and don’ts have a good reason.

Although I love my mom with all my heart, I’m afraid sometimes I take her for granted. I mean, who else would wash the clothes, sort the socks, do the dishes, and other “around-the-house” stuff. My mom is so important to me, I couldn’t imagine what I’d do without her.

Love. That is the one word that best describes my relationship with my wonderful mom. Love is a beautiful thing that my mom has given me, and I’m really happy that she’s who she is.

— By Emma Woodard

Carol Rosa

I love my mom because she love me back. On April Fools’ Day, I switched her drawers around and covered the lid of her shampoo bottle with plastic wrap. She tried to do it back to me, but I didn’t fall for it. She just laughed.

Every Mother’s Day, I bring her flowers. On her birthday, I made her breakfast. I gave her scrambled eggs. It was the first time I ever made them. She hugged me and thanked me all day!

When I was little, I fell off of a small car that you can ride in and broke my wrist. The next year, I fell off of a diving board and broke my other wrist. Mom cares for me when I do something to hurt myself. She understands what I say. Mom loves me whatever I do. She controls my family well and makes sure we all eat fruit and vegetables.

My brother hates vegetables, and my mom still forces him to eat them, just to keep him healthy. Also, my mom won’t let my sister eat all the time like she wants. My mom loves me and makes sure I’m safe, and she makes me happy.

— By Emily Rosa

Amal Moukaddem

My mother always makes me feel special and comfortable. She is the nicest mother I could ever imagine. She is also a very hard worker. My mother has always helped me with anything I needed help with since I was little and has been kind and nice. My mother always gets me whatever I want. She has never said, “No,” to getting me something I want. My mother is the best, and I will always love her no matter what. I would also like to wish my mother a Happy Mother’s Day.

— By Farah Moukaddem

May Munir

My parents immigrated from Baghdad, Iraq, in the 1980s. My father had traveled the world and had seen much of what there was to see. My mother, however, had never left Iraq. When she arrived in the United States, after a long journey to a new land, she found herself out of place. It was hard, but my mother was strong. She jumped over the hurdles that she had to jump, by living here with her family far away and by learning new customs, and she made her way up.

Even though she now considers the United States her home, she still misses her old home and her family. But she never once has complained. I am proud of my mother for what she did because most people would turn and go back.

Not my mother. She found her inner strength. I wanted to write about my mother, because I admire her, for I could never do what she did.

— By Nadia Hamid

Sue Kong

My mom is a hard worker. However, when looking through mom’s “straight-A” report cards, my sister and brother found a Pacman award! And she was always bragging about her perfect grades and how we should work hard like her. I wonder, does that mean we should waste our time playing video games? If so, that’s fine with me!

Well, anyway, she’s great at Chinese cooking, which may surprise with snails and duck heads! Her cooking is great, though. If you eat her cooking, then you’ll probably go back for second helpings.

She is very responsible and wise. When the lawn needs mowing, she mows it. Maybe that’s because my brother won’t get more allowance, though. She always says to save your money instead of spending it on small things. She says to draw carrots to calm yourself down when you are angry.

— By Alex Kong