Well, I've worked two whole days now with my own class of 2-year-olds. It's been really fun and pretty tiring. I went in to work on Sunday to clean the classroom from top to bottom and rearrange the different centers. (For those of you who don't know, preschool rooms usually have "centers" for the children to experience different aspects of learning and play. For example, dramatic play, building, reading/books, art, science/exploration, etc.)
Monday & Tuesday I worked from 8:00 till around 5. Phew! That is a lot of 2-year-old time! Even if they do nap for 3 hours! I was on my feet all day, mediating arguments and offenses, picking up toys and dropped food, changing diapers and assisting in toilet training, and on and on. And the whole thing was pretty fun!
My kids are very sweet and super cute. And I find myself hearing and saying things that make me laugh all day. For example, I never pictured myself, as an adult in a professional workplace, having to utter the phrase, "You really have to keep your pants on" repeatedly to various people.
Another funny situation was when two little girls were playing together. They love each other very much, and one loves the other so much that she likes to repeatedly poke her in the face. I told her "Gentle, please. She doesn't like when you poke her face." She looked up at me with a questioning glance and said, "Poker face? Puh-Puh-Poker face?"
Yes, Lady Gaga is in my preschool class.
Another thing that happens all day is the repeated asking... "What happened?" Anytime there is a loud noise, a child starts crying, someone drops something on the floor, or, to be quite honest, when anything happens at all, someone will look at me and ask, "What happened?" I try to explain it to them most of the time, but sometimes it's just better to say, "Nothing" and distract them with another activity. One time I was on potty duty, helping several little friends in the bathroom, when one of them farted. A little girl asked "What happened?" Not wanting to draw attention to the passing of gas, I replied "Nothing." She corrected me, in an instructional tone. "No, somebody pooped." Thanks for clarifying.
So these are the joys of my new career. I really do love it so far. It's challenging and funny and exasperating and tiring, but all in all, it's really great. I get to cuddle with adorable little boys and girls for a good part of my day and watch them light up when they learn something new, and that makes it all worth while. The best part is hearing them say my name, which comes out more like "Mid-Oddbone" but it melts my heart just the same.
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