For children, love can be as simple as 'when you love someone'
Love triangles, unrequited crushes and forbidden romances.
It sounds like the makings of the latest Sandra Bullock movie, the tragic tales of high school days or even the latest overheard residence hall drama. But these were the happenings of teacher Shawn Stenberg’s third-grade class on Valentine’s Day at Ganiard Elementary, 108 S. Adams St.
Nathan Gruss, 9, was confident he knew about love.
“I think it's something where you care about somebody and you do stuff with them a lot,” Nathan said. “Like when you’re married and you love your kids.”
Gruss spoke from experience, because according to classmates Jade Leaureaux and Aariana Patton, both 9, Gruss is already in a relationship, even though he is not supposed to be.
“We’re not allowed to date in school,” Jade said.
Aariana added, “Yeah, but they’re doing it anyway."
Aariana said she believed a person cannot truly know what love is until they experience it for themselves.
“It’s like when you have feelings for somebody … I can’t explain it,” she said. “You have to be in love to be able to feel it to know what it's really like.”
Many students said love was something to be shown to family members, and that it could be done in many different ways. Allison Tewari, 8, helps clean her house for her mom, and Maddison Gould, 8, reads books to her 3-year-old sister Makala to show their love.
Eight-year-old Lilly Kowalczyk said she loves her dad because he gives her ice cream.
While she may be the apple of her father’s eye, Lilly was also popular among her classmates. Her favorite part of Valentine's Day is “when you get lots of secret admirer stuff.”
She said she did receive some cryptic notes, but they’re no longer much of a secret because she knows who they came from.
“They’re from my friend Turner," she said, "he has a crush on me.”
A younger perspective Students at the Child Development and Learning Laboratory in the Education and Human Services building also had thoughts on what love is.
Nathanial Carlson, 4, simply said love is “when you love someone.”
Mount Pleasant senior Stephanie Bristley works in the lab. She said her favorite part about the job is getting to talk with all of the kids.
“I love hearing all the cute things they have to say," she said.
Five-year-old Ella Bielicki said her parents show her love by taking care of her.
She was not overly fond of love in general.
“Love? Gross. Kissing on the lips, ew,” Ella said.
