Working with children can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the day. When it's a bad day, you'll oftentimes contemplate your career choice. When it's a good day, it makes up for all of the bad ones. At the end of it all, you know there's no way you could be happy doing anything else for a living; kids make things so much more fun! If you've ever worked with children, you surely can relate to these 14 things.
1. You leave work with colored hands.
Whether it's marker, paint, or something in between, stained hands are the worst. You were just coloring too in depth to realize you got more on your hands than the paper itself.
2. You get a warm welcome each morning from the kids.
Hugs and high fives, galore; the kids sure to make an entrance!
3. You're not afraid of talking to parents anymore.
After seeing them morning and night five days a week, you're pretty used to parents at this point and they aren't as scary as they were when you first started.
4. The kids will be brutally honest at all times.
Wake up with a mild case of bedhead this morning? The kids will notice and they will ask why your hair is different.
5. You will witness your fair share of girl gang drama.
After breaking up constant arguments about girl drama, you can't help but compare the first grade to Mean Girls.
6. Playing board game after board game will be the death of you.
With younger students, you almost feel obligated to let them win. Playing with older students is a constant battle of explaining "no, that's against the rules," or reminding them that cheaters never win.
7. Your "uniform" consists of comfy clothes only.
Usually a t-shirt and leggings, complete with athletic shoes for chasing after kids!
8. You most likely have a coffee addiction.
For all your early morning shifts when you'd rather stay in bed, but the kids need you.
9. You find yourself buying food items aimed at kids while grocery shopping.
This is when it's necessary to remind yourself that no matter how much time you spend with children, you are not one of them and your metabolism doesn't compare to theirs.
10. You have the best stories to share.
Moments that made the most mess or the most frustration at the time often make for the best stories in the future. Remember this next time you want to pull your hair out because someday you'll laugh at it!
11. You're always slightly sick.
Spending your free time in an elementary school or daycare means you're exposed to a bunch of new germs. In other words, you're likely to never be 100% healthy at any given time.
12. You have a collection of hand-drawn pictures.
When one of your kids gifts you with one of their drawings, you're not sure if you're supposed to hang them on your fridge or just keep them in a stash in your car.
13. You're basically a therapist.
Because you're always going to have open ears, regardless of how many times you've already heard their story.
14. You couldn't imagine working with anyone else.
Working with kids can be stressful at times, but what job isn't? At the end of the day, you care for each of the kids you work with, and you love your profession.
