Me, a preschool teacher?

Alright...I've got 1 official week down as a preschool teacher. And let me tell you, what a week it has been. I've had the range of emotions from excitement, to sadness, and frustration, and joy. I do a lot more than just teach. I help with the meals and clean ups, diapers, and whatever else needs doing. My first couple days were pretty good. I have, in addition to Cassie (4-1/2), a little boy (4-1/2), a little girl (5 in December), and occaisionally a couple others. The little boy let's just say, he's has an attitutde that surfaces quickly. He doesn't sleep much at night because he's afraid of the dark and his parents refuse to leave a light on. So...this week...after putting him in timeout multiple times, I was hit and kicked. Not cool. He is aware if he does it again, he'll be going home. He is there in the a.m. and goes to regular preschool at 12:30. The little girl comes anywhere from 10:30 to 12-ish, and is there for the rest of my day there (2:30pm). The first day, I realized that her speaking skills were zero indication to her comprehension. She could draw 2 letters of her name, but couldn't tell me what they were. Her parents wouldn't put her in Head Start because they supposedly didn't have time for that. That broke my heart. I guess they want their kid to learn, but don't want to help facilitate that. So I've had my challenges this last week. Enter in another little boy. This one is 3 and 3 months, and doesn't talk or understand directions for writing a letter, speaking, saying his name or anything. And to top it off...he's very quiet, sneaky, curious, and hard to manage. He's not there everyday, or all day, everyday, but when he's there, not much else gets done. Then there's another little girl that talks a little bit more than him, but doesn't do much else...especially if she doesn't want to do it. And there is another girl that will be there when her mom does paper work. She's pretty quiet, but pretty compliant. And lastly, there's another boy that is in preschool for part of the day, but his parents have rotating schedules, so he's not there very often.

Monday, I had Cassie, the first boy and girl, the rambunctious one, the independent little girl, the rambunctious one's brother because he had problems at school (1st grade), Sarah (because she was having separation issues, and me chasing the rambunctious one all over, she kept seeing me), and I think there was another one, but I can't remember. I thought I had 7. I was so close to saying..."This isn't for me."

In the center, there is one other person on shift to work with the babies/younger toddlers. I don't know much about daycare centers, or the adult/child ratio, but it seems to me that their needs to be another person. Some of the time, the owner is in their, but she only oversees, she doesn't really help with things. I'm not complaining at all about that. Bravo to her for opening and running a successful and growing daycare. More power to her. But, when 2 kids won't sit still long enough to learn, and distract all the other kids, but are too big for the baby/toddler side, there should be another person to interact with them. I can't chase them all day if I'm supposed to be teaching the kids who need it and are ready for it. Following directions, along with some other skills are key to being ready to learn.

So...I'm not sure if this is supposed to simply be a learning experience for me, and be a stepping stone to something else, or if I'm supposed to stick it out.

Oh yeah, I forgot...I've had a little stress in working there. I worked last Wed, Thurs, Fri, and then Mon, Tues, Wed. This week. Last week Sarah had to stay at Vickii's Wednesday through Friday. Cassie was with her on Thursday and Friday because she was sick. But why was Sarah there?? Because the owner has not received her license to have more kids in the center from the state yet. On Friday, I asked if she had any suggestions because my mother-in-law couldn't watch Sarah on Monday. She said well, I already made the schedule, can you get a babysitter? Uh...no. I am my children's provider. I was hired under the condition that I could bring my children with me to work. I did not say those things, but I told her that I wouldn't be able to come in on Monday, unless they found out one of the other little kids wouldn't be there. She told me to call in Monday a.m. I did. She called me back and said there was an opening. We already knew that Tuesday and Wednesday there was an opening, Thursday (today) I had my concert, so I wouldn't be there, and then I was only scheduled M-Th for October, so I have Friday off anyway. So, we went in. I was only there for 3.5 hours...and it was easily worse than the other days combined. Mainly because of the little guy that is supposed to be on my side (meaning in the class), according to the owner. I'm so thankful that my mother-in-law was able to watch the girls when she did, but I shouldn't have to rely on her when I'm a daycare employee. Is that an oxymoron or what?

Part of me wants to ask if I have a 2 week trial period with this job...meaning that after 2 weeks I can decide if I want to continue, or not. At this point...I'd say, I think I'll pass on the job. If I have even 1 day a week like this Monday was, I don't think I want to continue this job. I don't mind the drive. The pay is good considering I get to bring my kids...when I get to bring both of them that is.

Then as I'm walking out the door yesterday, the owner said to me, you do know there's a meeting on Sunday right? I said no, what time is it? She said at 11-1. I said I don't get out of church until 12:30 usually. She said "It's a SIDS/Shaken Baby class. Everyone has to have it, and I paid for everybody to take it." Very kind of her to do that, however, would it have been inappropriate to make sure they would be there first? She said it's mandatory for every worker to take it. Well clearly, no one else had taken it, and the daycare has been in business for over 3 years, so I think I'll be alright for now. I asked if there were community classes for it. She said few and far between. God, is this your way of telling me I should learn my lesson and move on?

The owner was supposed to have the state licensing on October 1st...my first day. She said she is to have a meeting with the state again on October 15th. We'll see what happens.

Oh yeah, another thing we'll see what comes of is my kids vaccinations records. The owner asked for my kids' shot records on Friday. I got them and gave them to her on Tuesday. I have no problem with their records, but the state might. They do not have all of their vaccines, as Mike and I do not believe we should bombard our little people with so many things at one time. Not to mention that I have to get Cassie another appointment with the immunologist to have her officially cleared of her egg allergy in order to get her next MMR shot.

On Wednesday, the shot records were still in the same place on her desk (over the keyboard), as I left them on Tuesday. I don't think she saw them. But I don't think she's going to accept the status of them. To which I will say, Thank you Lord for this opportunity, thank you for opening and closing this door, and for the next open door that will come.

Let's see...I think that's it for now. I am so thankful I wasn't scheduled for Fridays...so I have 3 more days off. And I've yet to decide if I will be skipping church for the meeting.

Ok, I remembered one more thing...on my way home from Choir last night I had an epiphany...well...maybe. Mike's boss's wife is prego and due on the 18th of this month. She is a hospitalist, he is, as I said, Mike's boss in the Aviation Department at UAA. They want one of them to stay home with their baby...but she makes more than he does. So he would probably be the one to leave the work force. So my epiphany is...maybe they would hire me as their nanny. We, the whole family, would drive Mike to work, pick up his boss's son, come back to our house, then all go back into Anchorage to drop off the boss's son and pick Mike up. We'll see if that door is opened or not.

God bless you all!