i think and write a lot about the simplicity of childhood. one of the greatest joys of my life is working with young children. i'm 26 years in and love my work more than i ever have. i love watching kids experience things for the first time, solve problems, learn new things, learn to be independent, have fun, dance, sing, build. there's nothing like the sparkle in a kid's eye when they finally "get it", when they get the joke, say something silly, get to express themselves, when they show you something they are proud of.
i'm in a very special position at the primary school. i've written about how i feel like i've become the "fun aunt" of the primary school. i get to form relationships with over 600 kids that lasts for at least three years and most of the time longer. i get to see them grow throughout their time at school. i get to witness their biggest accomplishments, their greatest frustrations, and of course, i see every wiggly tooth and missing tooth spot they have. (if you don't know, every missing tooth is cause for celebration!)
in learning all of these kids, in greeting almost every kid every morning, i've come to acquire a lot of....treasures. so many so that i've started a jar. actually, i have a few jars now. they are filled to the brim with the treasures of childhood. at first i didn't quite know what to do with these little things. but i sat one day and thought about it and realized that when kids give you something, however small, it's very important to them, and should be to you as well.
it started off with a bead. likely a pony bead from a girl's fancy hairdo. then i got some random skittles (they didn't make the jar, but the kid thinks i ate them), several crystals (from the playground), some leaves, a couple tiny jesus's, stickers with no more sticky, happy meal toys, erasers, squishies, a few feathers (these kids know me), some sparkles, and recently a high heel shoe made from those melty perler beads. every treasure goes in the jar like the trophies they are. the kids ask me about whether i keep them, they want to know where the jar is, where their treasures are. a few times, they've requested their treasures back (here's what: i didn't give said kid baby jesus back. LOL).
this week, in addition to the perler bead high heel, i got a tiny yellow marker. this kindergartener was so proud to give me this marker when i was on my way out of school. i told her i would take it home and show my husband. she lit up like a christmas tree. said "HE'S GONNA LOVE IT!" i showed him just before i came downstairs to write for the night. he was impressed, obviously, and vowed to write that little girl a thank you. i can't wait to see her face when she gets that.
this past christmas, i received some particularly amazing gifts from kids. these things were too big for the jar, but will restore your faith in humanity. get your tissues ready friends.
one day the week before break, one of my first graders, who i absolutely adore and was in my bestie's class last year comes up to me in the morning as she always does, but that day she had a very perplexed look on her face. she was really thinking on something. she tells me that she really wants to buy me something for christmas. i tell her to draw me a new tiny picture for inside my phone case like she's given me before. she thinks on that and tentatively agrees. fast forward a couple days later and she's in front of me again. (keep in mind the rush of 500 plus kids in the hallways in the morning, and of those i probably hug half of them, so it's crazy busy...) anyway, here she comes with her lunchbox and she's so excited. "mis aconville!!! i have your christmas gift!!!" she pulls out an open box of m&m's and gives it to me. she was so proud. i thank her profusely and get wrapped up in more hugs from more kids who are so excited about the coming christmas break. when i finally get back to my room, i look closer at the gift and realize it was the box of m&m's her teacher had given her the day before. she had only eaten maybe half of them. i wanted to cry. i made sure to write her a very nice thank you note telling her how thoughtful and kind she was. i know this kid's story. she needs every single bit of encouragement she can get, and believe me, she deserves it and more.
on the friday before we left for break, i had one more gift that brought me to tears. a first grader comes to me, so excited by this bag she was carrying. the bag was big too. i'm thinking...what in the world?! she sheepishly hands me the bag and apologizes because all she could find was a birthday bag. in the bag were so many things: a christmas pooh bear (so cute!!), a book fair poster with a puppy dog on it (i know you'll love this poster, mis aconville, wait till you see it!!), a pen with a star on it, a bunch of coloring sheets, a fan, an elsa toy, and....a nab. nab=one cracker from a pack. i think it was a cheese one. don't tell her, but the cracker had to go. anyway, i was overcome by the generosity of this kid. she clearly went around her house and hand picked things she thought i would like. what she didn't know was that that very day i had to make the long trip to the eastern shore for my uncle's funeral. i needed that kindness more than she will ever know. the poster now hangs in my room right beside my taylor swift calendar. she saw that this week and was so excited. i also let her know that pooh bear has a place of honor on my sofa right beside the new squishmallow i got for christmas. bless her.
the kindness of kids is really something to admire. they give what they can, they do what they can. little treasures, compliments, hugs, shared jokes. it really shows their love language. as adults, our job is to receive that love and provide reinforcement for it. the fact that i save a lot of the little treasures (but not every single drawing) shows them that i love them as much as they love me. that i think of them as much as they think about me. i remember there was a teacher who threw gifts away right in front of kids when i was in school. friends. that is not the move.
the start of the jars started small. just a few treasures. now these kids are like crows and bring all the shiny things. i hope it goes to show others how relationships are the bread and butter of what we do. i don't do it as a popularity contest. i do it for the kids. a lot of them come to school to be loved. it is my honor to be one of the people who get to do just that: love these babies.
No comments:
Post a Comment