People Who Care For Children

I heard the faint music of a harmonica.  I looked outside my window to see a colleague of mine on the playground blowing a happy tune with a trail of children behind her marching around in the lunchtime parade.  I got tears in my eyes because my little girl was in the parade.  It made me think about all the special people in the world who devote their time to nurturing my children. 

You have a baby and if you're lucky, you stay home with him/her as long as you can.  Many of us return to work and leave our babies with someone whom we feel will take care of them the way we would.  It isn't easy at first.  Then, day by day it gets easier.   We find our routine and we stop worrying about our little ones as much as we plod through our piles at work just waiting to be home with them again.   

Many people don't really know the love that goes into a career working with children.  When I started teaching, I was 24 years old.  I had no idea that the kids who were dropped off at my doorstep each morning were such amazing miracles.  No idea.  To me they were kids who were learning their alphabet and I liked them a lot so I kept teaching.  Today, 15 years later...I have a different story to tell about what I do for a living.  

Today, I teach your babies.  I teach the people whom you gave birth to 5 years ago.  A blink of an eye and they are already in school.  Some of them still bring their blankies in their backpacks.  They pick their boogers and cry when they can't get their zippers up on their pants.  It is my job to zip and snap and to make sure your baby can read and write by May.  It's a big job.  

More importantly.  I teach your babies to be happy.  I teach your babies to accept one another and be patient with each other.  I teach your babies to stop and investigate the little things that seem unimportant, but are in fact very important.  I sit with your children when they miss you and remind them that you miss them too but it won't be long.  I redo their fallen pony tails and fix loose earrings.  I make belts out of string and shirts out of aprons.  I give part of my lunch to those who forgot theirs.  I honestly care about your kid the way you hope I will.  

I don't write this to make myself feel good.  I write this because I am one of millions of people who care for your children.  People who have decided to keep a piece of their heart just for your child.  I know these people.  I work with many of them.  In the morning when I kiss my babies goodbye, I know that they will be cared for by people who see them for who they are.  My babies. 

Now go buy your child's teacher a coffee before school.  She probably would love one.