A Letter of Recommendation

A few months ago my son brought home a school assignment for me to complete. This assignment would be a part of his permanent record, and required a great deal of thought and preparation. The assignment- write a letter of recommendation for my son, just as if I were writing a letter of recommendation for an employee or acquaintance.

Following is my response.


Parental Letter of Recommendation for Andrew Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
December 19, 2007

I am privileged to write this letter of recommendation in support of my son and close friend, Andrew Xxxxxx. Andrew and I first met a little over 17 years ago in Memphis, TN, and have through the years developed a deep and trusting relationship. I have witnessed tremendous growth and maturity during those years, and I count each day as a precious privilege to know and work with and love and be loved by Andrew.

Few children bring their parents the pleasure and joy Andrew has brought to his mother and me. And few children impact their entire families the way Andrew has impacted our family. As a young child, Andrew exhibited a love for and skill in drawing and interpreting the world around him. He has developed a wonderful, yet wacky sense of humor that we find delightful and refreshingly unique to Andrew. Even now in his later teens, Andrew continues to impress us with his respect, his calm, and his maturity.

Andrew accepts his responsibilities around the house with a minimum of grumbling and complaining for a 17-year-old, and given enough information, is quite capable and consistent in making good decisions.

Andrew is exceptionally patient with his 8-year-old sister, and she simply adores him. Even as a teenager, Andrew shows great restraint in not strangling or otherwise muffling his sister when she goes on a talking rampage. Andrew does love her, and she knows she is loved.

Andrew possesses leadership abilities beyond his years. Those skills remain mostly undeveloped, and like a muscle, those abilities must be exercised to grow and to fully mature. Because Andrew is a very likable person, he can be an influencer of people, and will, in the near future, be a leader of people.

Andrew knows what it is to face, and to overcome personal obstacles. Through our family’s move to Sand Springs, Andrew has demonstrated a calm strength that has allowed him to rise above those obstacles.

In conclusion, I am honored to know and support Andrew Xxxxxx. Andrew is now at the point in his life where he has demonstrated a consistent ability to make good decisions (with the exception of his sideburns and his shirttail), and has earned some independence from us, his parents. And that is a most difficult challenge as I have grown accustomed to having him close by all the time, and there is no relationship that can replace the relationship I share with my precious son.


Respectfully submitted,
Eric Xxxxxx