If you work with children, there is no doubt you understand — teaching kids and being taught by children come hand in hand. Here are some of the most important lessons i have been taught over the past few years of working with kids, as demonstrated by possibly the most adorable child of them all.
1. It is so easy to be happy.
There is nothing worse than getting to work in a slump. You feel unmotivated, drowsy and just not in the mood. When you work with kids, that doesn't happen. The second that 5-year-old comes up to you and hugs your leg or starts excitedly telling you about her day, all those negative emotions wash away. It's amazing. Happiness is a choice. It's so easy, and I'm so thankful they taught me that.
2. You are teaching 100 percent of the time.
When you are grocery shopping, when you're looking over papers, when you're taking a break, a child is watching you. The words you use, the vibe you give off, those little child sponges are learning. They taught me to be a good example, even when i don't think they're paying attention.
3. Literally anything can be funny.
Anything. Mustaches? Soda? Birds? Glasses? Funny. All of them. There is humor in everything.
4. Making friends is easy.
The number of times i've seen a new student come into class and leave with four new best friends is probably above 100. To figure it out, all you have to do is watch. They are nice, they're genuine, they make jokes, they don't do small talk, they don't talk behind each other's backs, they don't make fun of each other. When one falls down, they help her up. When one is crying, they console her.
They don't need a reason to approach a peer, they simply do. It's so easy to be a friend, and it's so easy to be a good friend.
5. Little plastic toys of grocery items are the best.
OK, I actually still don't get this one. (Looking at you, Shopkins)
6. Sometimes you just have to cry.
When i first started working with kids, I would have a little panic attack every time a tear was shed. Now I understand that a lot of times everything is OK when tears are involved. A lot of times a child is scared and just needs to let it out for a moment of two, sit down for a hot second and suddenly they're back to somersaulting down the floor. Sometimes, even as adults, we should give ourselves a moment to be scared or upset or sad. But only a moment. That's all you really need.
7. Even small victories are still worth celebrating.
As adults, we don't give ourselves a lot of credit. We chug through the day and rarely pat ourselves on the back. What I've learned through kids is that every success we have is worth acknowledging. Children know to give themselves credit when credit is due, and we need to do that too.
8. It's important to let yourself be a kid, even when you're an adult.
Everything in life is a balance. Being a child should always be part of that balance.
Thank you for being such great teachers, students.
