Last week I started my first "big girl" job (as my older sister would say) as a daycare teacher. I'm only working at the daycare for the summer because I'm in school the rest of the year, but I'm already starting to learn that working in a daycare involves more than many assume.

I am working with a pretty young age range, so not all of them are potty trained. Some of them are in the process, which means that they need a little bit of help. This can include helping them onto the potty, or just handing them toilet paper when the dispenser is too far for their little arms to reach. There are also those that require full diaper changes, which opens the situation up to some super stinky diapers!

Along with the eventual potty training that parents ask us to help with during the day, teachers at my daycare have a summer curriculum that ensures the kids are continuously learning. Right now, my class is learning about dirt. Different types of dirt, helpful things that dirt does in the environment, various colors of rocks that can be found in the dirt, etc.

They are also working on memorizing their days of the week, the alphabet, various colors, and several shapes. Even though they are very young, their minds are incredibly adaptive to each situation they come into contact with in the daycare center, as well as intelligent concerning how much they remember as the days progress.

Throughout the potty training and learning, there are also snack times and lunch time. This time, obviously, exposes the classroom to a bunch of spills and messy floors or tables. Even though countless rags and towels are used to clean up spilled milk and tossed fruit slices, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Because that's the life of a daycare teacher. We change some awful diapers, clean up unending spills, and calm down temper tantrums when a child hits their head or doesn't want to sleep during naptime. But we also teach, encourage, and care for children while their parents are at work.

We are teachers, nurses, bathroom helpers, playmates, parental figures, counselors, and caregivers for each child we come into contact with. And we want nothing more.