More Than a Diamond: The Lasting Impact of a Child’s Words
For the past few weeks, I have been talking about Dazzling Diamonds for Mom, and I realized there was simply too much to fit into one episode.
This program has been close to my heart for many years. It began back in 2004 with a simple idea: invite children to write and tell us why their mom deserves a diamond.
At the time, I had no idea where it would lead.
That first year, we did not have a lot of letters or a lot of classrooms participating. But it was a beginning. The following year, we had 96 classrooms and more than 1,500 letters from children sharing their love, admiration, and appreciation for their moms.
Now, in our 23rd year, Dazzling Diamonds for Mom has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined. This year, 25 schools participated. We had 500 classrooms involved and received more than 8,500 letters.
That is a lot of love being put on paper.
What Children Notice About Their Moms
One of my favorite parts of this program is reading the letters. Children have a way of seeing the things adults sometimes overlook. They notice the small acts of kindness, the sacrifices, the warm hugs, the meals, the encouragement, and all the everyday things that make a mom feel like home.
This year, we honored diamond winners across several grade levels, and their words were truly special.
Annelle, one of our youngest winners, wrote that her mom is helpful and kind. She said her mom gives out compliments, cares for the whole world, is beautiful, and has a big heart.
Libby shared that her mommy deserves a diamond because of her cooking, even though sometimes she burns it. She also said she loves cuddling with her mom and that she is simply the best. At the presentation, we found out that Dad does most of the cooking in the house, which gave us all a good laugh.
Alice wrote about her mom’s bright smile, comparing it to the sun. She described her mom as sweet as candy, loving, beautiful, and hardworking. She talked about her mom caring for her and her brother and said she was the best mom in the world.
Then there was a letter from a third grader that really made me stop and think. He wrote that his mom always had the option to be a good parent and chose to be one. He recognized that no one forced her to make dinner, do laundry, or wake him up for school. She chose to care for her family, and her smile made his day.
That is a pretty powerful observation from a child.
Brooklyn described her mom as the sunshine in their house. She said her mom notices the little things, fixes big problems, and helps without being asked. She wrote that her mom’s kindness feels warm and that her care feels safe. She ended by saying that when she grows up, she wants to love people the way her mom loves her.
Zezy wrote about her mom as her role model. She shared that even as a single mother, her mom thrives. She makes every situation feel like a party. She is funny, compassionate, and someone Zezy admires more than anyone else on the planet.
I am always amazed by what these children write. Their words are honest. They are heartfelt. And they remind us that being a mom is not about being perfect. It is about showing up, loving well, and caring for people in ways that leave a mark.
Growing, Learning, and Adjusting Along the Way
Over the years, Dazzling Diamonds for Mom has grown, and with growth comes lessons.
There was one year when we invited too many schools to participate. We had around 110 schools involved and received more than 15,000 letters. It was incredible to see that kind of response, but we also learned something important.
We were asking families to drive an hour or more to come pick up a free gemstone or diamond. While the heart behind the program was good, we realized that asking people to make such a long trip was not the best way to honor them.
So, we made a change.
We narrowed the program to schools closer to our store. It allowed us to keep the experience more personal and make it easier for families to participate. Sometimes doing something meaningful means making sure it is also practical and thoughtful for the people you are trying to serve.
Then came COVID.
Like so many others, we had to decide what to do when everything changed in March. Our contest had already started. We normally begin receiving entries toward the end of March, and suddenly schools were closing and families were dealing with uncertainty.
We considered canceling the program, but after talking it through, we decided to keep going.
That year, participation was smaller. We had around 900 letters and approximately 73 or 74 classrooms involved. But the letters still came in, and the love behind them was just as real.
We adapted by presenting our certificates virtually. It was different from gathering in person, but it reminded us that the purpose of Dazzling Diamonds for Mom was never just the presentation or the prize. It was about giving children a chance to celebrate someone they loved.
A Letter That Meant More Than We Knew
As meaningful as the annual winners are, sometimes you do not fully understand the impact of a program until years later.
A good friend of mine is a seventh grade teacher in one of our local school districts. She had once been a judge for Dazzling Diamonds for Mom, and some of the elementary schools that participate in our program feed into the middle school where she teaches.
She gave her students an assignment to write about one of their first important memories of writing.
One student, Cheyenne, shared that one of her most meaningful writing memories came from third grade, when she won the Dazzling Diamonds for Mom writing contest.
She said that winning helped her realize she could use creativity and memories in her writing. She learned that writing could show people how important someone was to her. She said that after winning, she believed in her writing and felt like she could write anything.
She kept writing.
She began learning different writing strategies. She started enjoying creative writing. And she connected that growth back to one diamond ring her mom wore and one writing contest she entered as a child.
That touched all of us here at the store.
You never really know what small encouragement might do in someone’s life. Most of the time, we do not get to see the full impact of our efforts. We may give someone an opportunity, say something encouraging, or create a moment that feels small at the time, and never realize what it becomes years later.
But sometimes we get a glimpse.
For me, that is what Dazzling Diamonds for Mom is all about. Yes, it is about honoring moms. Yes, it is about diamonds and gemstones. But it is also about helping children find their voice, express love, and discover that their words matter.
A diamond can last a lifetime.
But so can the confidence that comes from being heard.
For the past few weeks, I have been talking about Dazzling Diamonds for Mom, and I realized there was simply too much to fit into one episode.
This program has been close to my heart for many years. It began back in 2004 with a simple idea: invite children to write and tell us why their mom deserves a diamond.
At the time, I had no idea where it would lead.
That first year, we did not have a lot of letters or a lot of classrooms participating. But it was a beginning. The following year, we had 96 classrooms and more than 1,500 letters from children sharing their love, admiration, and appreciation for their moms.
Now, in our 23rd year, Dazzling Diamonds for Mom has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined. This year, 25 schools participated. We had 500 classrooms involved and received more than 8,500 letters.
That is a lot of love being put on paper.
What Children Notice About Their Moms
One of my favorite parts of this program is reading the letters. Children have a way of seeing the things adults sometimes overlook. They notice the small acts of kindness, the sacrifices, the warm hugs, the meals, the encouragement, and all the everyday things that make a mom feel like home.
This year, we honored diamond winners across several grade levels, and their words were truly special.
Annelle, one of our youngest winners, wrote that her mom is helpful and kind. She said her mom gives out compliments, cares for the whole world, is beautiful, and has a big heart.
Libby shared that her mommy deserves a diamond because of her cooking, even though sometimes she burns it. She also said she loves cuddling with her mom and that she is simply the best. At the presentation, we found out that Dad does most of the cooking in the house, which gave us all a good laugh.
Alice wrote about her mom’s bright smile, comparing it to the sun. She described her mom as sweet as candy, loving, beautiful, and hardworking. She talked about her mom caring for her and her brother and said she was the best mom in the world.
Then there was a letter from a third grader that really made me stop and think. He wrote that his mom always had the option to be a good parent and chose to be one. He recognized that no one forced her to make dinner, do laundry, or wake him up for school. She chose to care for her family, and her smile made his day.
That is a pretty powerful observation from a child.
Brooklyn described her mom as the sunshine in their house. She said her mom notices the little things, fixes big problems, and helps without being asked. She wrote that her mom’s kindness feels warm and that her care feels safe. She ended by saying that when she grows up, she wants to love people the way her mom loves her.
Zezy wrote about her mom as her role model. She shared that even as a single mother, her mom thrives. She makes every situation feel like a party. She is funny, compassionate, and someone Zezy admires more than anyone else on the planet.
I am always amazed by what these children write. Their words are honest. They are heartfelt. And they remind us that being a mom is not about being perfect. It is about showing up, loving well, and caring for people in ways that leave a mark.
Growing, Learning, and Adjusting Along the Way
Over the years, Dazzling Diamonds for Mom has grown, and with growth comes lessons.
There was one year when we invited too many schools to participate. We had around 110 schools involved and received more than 15,000 letters. It was incredible to see that kind of response, but we also learned something important.
We were asking families to drive an hour or more to come pick up a free gemstone or diamond. While the heart behind the program was good, we realized that asking people to make such a long trip was not the best way to honor them.
So, we made a change.
We narrowed the program to schools closer to our store. It allowed us to keep the experience more personal and make it easier for families to participate. Sometimes doing something meaningful means making sure it is also practical and thoughtful for the people you are trying to serve.
Then came COVID.
Like so many others, we had to decide what to do when everything changed in March. Our contest had already started. We normally begin receiving entries toward the end of March, and suddenly schools were closing and families were dealing with uncertainty.
We considered canceling the program, but after talking it through, we decided to keep going.
That year, participation was smaller. We had around 900 letters and approximately 73 or 74 classrooms involved. But the letters still came in, and the love behind them was just as real.
We adapted by presenting our certificates virtually. It was different from gathering in person, but it reminded us that the purpose of Dazzling Diamonds for Mom was never just the presentation or the prize. It was about giving children a chance to celebrate someone they loved.
A Letter That Meant More Than We Knew
As meaningful as the annual winners are, sometimes you do not fully understand the impact of a program until years later.
A good friend of mine is a seventh grade teacher in one of our local school districts. She had once been a judge for Dazzling Diamonds for Mom, and some of the elementary schools that participate in our program feed into the middle school where she teaches.
She gave her students an assignment to write about one of their first important memories of writing.
One student, Cheyenne, shared that one of her most meaningful writing memories came from third grade, when she won the Dazzling Diamonds for Mom writing contest.
She said that winning helped her realize she could use creativity and memories in her writing. She learned that writing could show people how important someone was to her. She said that after winning, she believed in her writing and felt like she could write anything.
She kept writing.
She began learning different writing strategies. She started enjoying creative writing. And she connected that growth back to one diamond ring her mom wore and one writing contest she entered as a child.
That touched all of us here at the store.
You never really know what small encouragement might do in someone’s life. Most of the time, we do not get to see the full impact of our efforts. We may give someone an opportunity, say something encouraging, or create a moment that feels small at the time, and never realize what it becomes years later.
But sometimes we get a glimpse.
For me, that is what Dazzling Diamonds for Mom is all about. Yes, it is about honoring moms. Yes, it is about diamonds and gemstones. But it is also about helping children find their voice, express love, and discover that their words matter.
A diamond can last a lifetime.
But so can the confidence that comes from being heard.