The Sweet Life

Pajama Day, back in December, was a lot of fun.

My job as a preschool teacher is full of unexpected delights. It can be exhausting, energizing, and enlightening, all at the same time. I truly believe that hanging out with children not only makes my life better, it makes me a better person as well. It’s hard work. It’s important work.  Most days, it’s pure joy.

Take today, for example. I’ll call it a three-quote day. Three times, my preschoolers had me laughing at their insights, their “spin” on the world. It started out right away this morning when I asked my question of the day: When you don’t agree with a friend, how can you work things out? I got many thoughtful answers from my students, but my favorite response by far came from a young man who said, “My brother and I sometimes fight. When I go tell Mom, she says, 'No tattling.' When I tell her again, she says, 'Work it out.' So, we have to take turns.” First of all, GO MOM! I strongly approve of this mom’s parenting strategy. Second of all, I liked this little guy's blow-by-blow analysis of the situation.  I still smile just thinking about his matter of fact delivery.

Quote number two might not seem so funny on paper as it did in person. The kids were pretending to have a coffee shop, and one of them decided to lie down on the kitchen floor. I said that was probably not a great idea, as someone might spill on him, and another little one chimed in, “When I was a baby, I used to sleep on the kitchen floor.” I loved her quick response, coming to the defense of her friend lying on the floor, and I loved her expression when she said it – not to mention the fact that I loved thinking about her mom, putting that precious baby down to sleep on the kitchen floor. All put together, I smiled again.

My final quote of the day came from a student in my afternoon class. As we were getting ready to go outside, one of my students sidled up next to me, sniffed my arm and said, “You smell like marshmallows. I love marshmallows all day long.” Hey, by mid-afternoon, I’m glad to smell like anything tasty! Since I never wear perfume and have only lightly scented soap and lotion, I can’t think what made me smell like a marshmallow. Oh well, it was another reason to smile.

Puppets!

We are mid-way through the year, and I can already make myself a little sad, just thinking about letting go of these precious little ones at the end of May. I can’t pinpoint the moment when they went from being 53 students to being MY kiddos, but I can tell you it didn’t take long. I love hearing their thoughts.  I love fanning their budding faith. I love comforting them and laughing with them. I love praying for them and their families. I love loving them. It’s a pretty sweet job I have. As a rule, I refrain from posting pictures of the precious faces of my kiddos, so I’m just going to add a few pictures that show the fun we have with out showing the faces having the fun.  I’m hoping you’ll share in my joy.

Bringing snow into the classroom is always entertaining.

We need to look closer....

Corn starch and water, an all-time favorite colloid.