Do I really make a difference?

I often wonder just how much I matter in the life of the children I care for. Do I really make a difference in their lives, their development? Do I really make a difference in how they view the world around them, how they absorb every opportunity to learn, love, grow and succeed? Sometimes it does not feel like I matter or make a difference. But then there are times, when parents tell me how happy they are when their child comes home with a new word or song, or how their child is becoming more confident and how much their child has learned. It touches me when they tell me how their child always say my name before going to bed, or ask where I am, or even wants me to come home with them. It's moments like these that I feel like I am an integral part of their life and learning and that maybe, just maybe I can make a difference! Even if it is one child at a time :)