“Babies aren’t savages, Toddlers understand language long before they can talk.” – Pamela Druckerman
I have been working part-time in a daycare/preschool for the past several months, and I have to say that this has been one of the most challenging (in a good way) and amazing jobs I’ve ever had.
I look forward to interacting with the tiny humans left in my charge, every single day. There’s so much that’s cute and funny, and there’s so much growth happening. It’s fascinating to be with them as they’re conducting their jobs of exploring, pushing boundaries, learning and socializing.
I do have my own kids, and have done and said some things that I never in a million years thought I’d be doing, hearing, or saying. But working with a group of young children brings it’s own level of events, routines, and more things that I really super duper never in a million years thought I’d be doing, hearing, or saying.
Here are a few:
Who pooped? Did you poop? (I say and hear this every single day, no lie)
Hold still, I need to wipe the boogers off your forehead. (how they got there, I have no idea, but they ain’t gonna stay there under my watch)
Dude, WHAT did you eat?
Wash your hands…wash your hands…wash your hands…
We don’t eat rocks!
Is that poop? That’s not poop, right? Okay, whew, that’s not poop.
Oh, THAT is poop.
Please stop running and take the bucket off your head.
Please don’t try to climb over the fence.
Please don’t climb on the windowsill.
Please don’t climb on the bookshelf.
Please don’t climb on your friends.
Please stop taking your clothes off!
Glue sticks go on the paper, not in our mouths!
Oh no! We don’t lick the paint brush.
Please stop licking the wall.
Please stop licking the window.
Where are your shoes?
Child: I have something! Me: What is it? Child: It’s a stick! Me: Let me see! (holds out my hands) Child: (drops giant hairy thousand legged scary bug in my palm) See??? Me: (suppressing a scream) oh…yes…so cool…(throws bug as far as I can, as soon as I can).
Why are you crying? (more often than not, there is liiiiiterally no reason, or it’s because: they think sand is in their shoe/their friend is crying/they don’t like their lunch/they want to play with all 10 trucks and are upset that they can’t carry them all)
Hey, inside voices please! (aka: OMG, please please please stop screaming at the top of your lungs for no reason)
Child: JENN!!! Me: Yes? Child: (runs and gives me a hug that nearly knocks me to the ground) Me: (smiles and hugs that kid and watches them wipe a decent amount of snot across my shoulder) (but whatever, their nose is now clean and I am going to throw that shirt in the wash as soon as I get home).
It is a wonderful and unique experience, guiding little ones through the mundane (toileting, lunchtime), the important (keeping them healthy and safe), the exciting (art projects, special guests and activities), the every day good stuff (learning the alphabet, numbers and colors), and the super fun stuff (creating a magical space filled with their artwork, singing silly songs that secretly teach them things like counting and sign language).
Listen, little kids should all be treasured, for they are full of humor and knowledge. We just have to listen. They are all worth all of our best efforts to help them grow, learn, and express themselves. Because our best hope is that what they learn and what they teach us will stick, as they grow into big kids and beyond.
Until next time…
Just Breathe.
The Twisted Maven
©The Twisted Maven, 2019