A teacher knit adorable tiny dolls of her 23 students because she missed them all

Parents aren't the only ones upset about schools having to shut their doors due to the pandemic. While we joke about how big of an inconvenience homeschooling is proving to be and how teachers deserve substantial raises for doing what they do, we often forget one crucial aspect of schools: the special bond between the kids and teachers. Once the novelty of not having to go to school wore off, many kids began missing the familiarity and comfort of their classrooms, peers, and mentors. The same is true for educators who've dedicated their lives to shaping the younger generation and in the process, forge a heartfelt bond with their students.

While online schooling and Zoom classes have been some respite in these times, they fail to capture the intimacy of a traditional classroom. The transition has been particularly hard for young students who—during these calls—are often reminded of the fun they used to have in school before the pandemic hit. However, students of Miss Ingeborg Meinster-Van der Duin, a primary school teacher at the Dr. H.Bavinck school in Haarlem, Netherlands, have it a little bit easier than others as they now have proof of just how much their teacher loves them.

Miss Ingeborg spent hours preparing a sweet gesture for 23 of her little students after she missed them sorely following the school closing. "It was all up and running that the school closed. It all hit me like this. The children were no longer in school. And I miss them so much," she told NH Nieuws. It was then that she remembered a knitted doll she'd seen on Pinterest earlier and decided to make one representing each of her young students. Miss Ingeborg poured over the details for each doll, making sure to match every single one of them to the respective student.

She spent about three to four hours knitting each doll, knitting cardigans on the dolls of her students who often wore cardigans to school, freckles on the dolls of her freckled wards, and taking care to get every single one of their hair colors and hairstyles right. Once she finished knitting all 23 dolls, she showed a picture of her creations to her students and their parents. They had no difficulty recognizing their respective dolls although the picture didn't specify which doll represented whom. However, Miss Ingeborg's students had one grievance with the picture she sent them. "Where's the teacher?" they asked and the loving educator quickly knit a replica of herself to complete the set. 

The dolls were such a huge hit with her students, Miss Ingeborg revealed she will continue to make them each year for her students. Although some of her colleagues have approached her to knit dolls for their classes, she said, "no there’s no time for that." After a photo of the adorable dolls was posted online, people praised the teacher for her dedication and craftsmanship. This is so adorable! I love the teacher’s creativity and her dedication to her students during this pandemic, wrote Facebook user Nora Leonard Roy. Another user, Marilyn Garrett Milando, commented: Wow... what a wonderful commemorative way of expressing her love toward her students! You are to be congratulated on a very sweet way of telling your students how much they mean to you. Great idea and a great knitter too.