Not just a babysitting job

It's always interesting when people ask me about my job. Everyone seems to have a different reaction about it, but the most common one I get is the fact that they don't consider what I do not very important and in fact consider my job a "babysitting" job. These kinds of comments always seem to get under my skin and then I realize that the people who say things like that are people that have NO idea what it's like to work with kids. Yes I may work with infant and toddlers but let me explain to you what I do from a day to day basis.

My alarm is set for 7 am. Gives me enough time to throw some clothes on, have breakfast and pack a lunch. I roll into work at 8:30 just in time to make bottles, wash hands and eat snack. For the next hour and a half I either have the choice to do circle time with songs, stories and art with some outside play, or feed, change, and put babies to sleep. After that is done, it's lunch time for the toddlers and then nap time right after. While the toddlers sleep, it's time to clean, do dishes, clean, prepare afternoon snack, and clean some more. I finish just in time to go on my lunch break. I'm given an hour of peace of quiet before going right back to work. By that time the toddlers are awake already and it's time to change some diapers. Babies need to fed and held and toddlers wash hands and eat snack. After snack it's time to change diapers again. 4:30 comes around and things start to slow to down and use whatever energy I have left in me to keep the kids busy while trying to snuggle a baby. My day ends at 5:30. I go home, eat, shower, go to bed and wake up and do the same thing tomorrow. This goes on Monday through Friday.

As you can see my schedule gets pretty busy, and some of the time things aren't done on schedule because there is just so much to do. There are a total of 12 infant and toddlers in the program with 3 teachers on schedule until about 3 or 3:30. I know what you are thinking, if there are 3 teachers, why is it so hard to take care of everything? Well that is because there are more babies (Children who are 13 months and younger) then there are teachers. Every 5 minutes someone needs to be changed, fed, put to sleep, entertained, and held. Almost every child is on a different schedule and come in and leave at different times, it's hard to keep track on who needs to be taken care. Through out the day we have go through the schedule of feeding, eating and changing of 1 or more crying baby, who only wants to be held. And then when you do hold them, they are hard to soothe and fight going to sleep. When you finally get them to sleep and put them in there crib, someone else needs to be held.

I'm not trying to complain, or rant about my job. I'm just simply explaining to you what I do everyday in my life. I'm constantly on the move, standing on my feet all day. Dealing with grumpy babies who are teething, fussy babies that don't want to sleep and babies that sometimes can't be soothed when they are held. There is always something going on, keeping me on my toes. The only down time I get is when I'm feeding or rocking a baby to sleep. As the day goes my energy level goes down, and so does my patience. But I have to keep pressing on because parents depend on me to take care of their kids.

Still think you can do my job? Still think that my job is "easy" and anyone can do it? Well, if you think it's so easy, then I would like to see you do it. I'd trade places anyone any day, who believes they can do a better job them me. But until you've walked a day in my shoes, until you've experience 12 slobbery, buggering, crying, grumpy, happy, giggly, hitting, pushing, sweet, cute, always talking, and excited children, don't tell me that my job is easy. Don't tell me how to do my job, or what I can do differently. You have NO idea how much effort I put into my job everyday. You have NO idea the joy I get from working with children, no matter how tired I am by the end of the day.

I am a teacher. I do what I do, because I enjoy doing it. I'm not doing it for the money, I'm not doing it to impress anyone. I do it so I can make a difference in a child's life. Without people like me, your children would not succeed in everyday life.

Our country

This is a post I copied off a friend of mine. Some things don't pertain to me in particular, but it gives you a different perspective of looking at things. Read it with an open mind.





I Am the Democratic Liberal-Progressive's Worst Nightmare.
I am an White, Conservative, Tax-Paying, American Veteran, Gun Owning Biker.
I am a Master leatherworker I work hard and long hours with my hands to earn
a living.

I believe in God and the freedom of religion, but I don't push it on others.
I ride Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and drive American-made cars, and I
believe in American products and buy them whenever I can.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and not some liberal governmental
functionary, Democratic or Republican, that wants to share it with others
who don't work!

I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!

I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer; it makes you a smart
American.

I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not
entitle you to anything. Get over it!

I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac or any other item, you should
do it in English. I believe there should be no other language option.

I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they
want to.

My heroes are Malcolm Forbes, Bill Gates, John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers,
and Willie G. Davidson, who makes the awesome Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

I don't hate the rich.  I don't pity the poor.

I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about
it.

I've never owned a slave, nor was a slave.  I haven't burned any witches or
been persecuted by the Turks, and neither have you!

I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you
came from and change your own country!

This is AMERICA...We like it the way it is and more so the way it was...so
stop trying to change it to look like Russia or China, or other socialist
country!

If you were born here and don't like it...you are free to move to any
Socialist country that will have you.  (And take Barrack Hussein Obama and
his group with you.)  Massachusetts started the ball rolling.  Keep it
going.

I believe it is time to really clean house, starting with the White House,
the seat of our biggest problems.

I want to know which church is it, exactly, where the Reverend Jesse Jackson
preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem
and not the solution.

Can I get an AMEN on that one?

I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the
law, regardless of what color you are, but not just because you happen to
ride a bike.

And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driver's license.

I think it's good...And I'm proud that "God" is written on my money....

I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you
deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the
next four years.

I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff
or trying to guilt me into making "donations" to their cause...Get a job and
do your part to support yourself and your family!

I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two
parents....

I believe "illegal" is illegal no matter what the lawyers think!

I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA!

If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.

If you are a BAD American too, please forward this to everyone you know....

We want our country back!

My Country....

I hope this offends all illegal aliens.

My great, great, great, great grandfather watched and bled as his friends
died in the Revolution and the War of 1812.  
My great, great, great grandfather watched as his friends died in the
Mexican American War.
My great, great grandfather watched as his friends and brothers died in the
Civil War.
My great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Spanish-American
War.
My grandfather watched as his friends died in WW I.
My father watched as his friends died in WW II.

I watched as my friends died in Vietnam, Panama, and Desert Storm.

My son watched & bled as his friends have died in  Afghanistan and  Iraq.

None of them died for the Mexican Flag.

Everyone died for the American flag.

Texas high school students raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole,
other students took it down.  Guess who was expelled...the students who took
it down.

California high school students were sent home on Cinco de Mayo, because
they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough!

This message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs
to stand up for America .

We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough.  I'm taking a
stand.

I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars
for this country, and for the American flag.

If you agree, stand up with me.  If you disagree, please let me know.  I
will gladly remove you from my e-mail list.

And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message.

AMERICANS, stop giving away Your RIGHTS!

Let me make this clear!  THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

This statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally:

1. Get  a sponsor!

2. Learn the LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past!

3. Live by OUR rules!

4. Get a job!

5. Pay YOUR Taxes!

6. No Social Security until you have earned it and Paid for it!

7. NOW find a place to lay your head!

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then YOU'RE
PART OF THE PROBLEM!

We've gone so far the other way . . . bent over backwards not to offend
anyone.

Only AMERICANS seems to care when American Citizens are being offended!

WAKE UP AMERICA!!!

If you do  not  Pass this on, may your fingers cramp!

Made in the U S A & PROUD OF IT!!!!!

Count your blessings

2010 was a busy year for me. It brought lots of tears, joys and life changing events.

• Started a new term at OSU
• My relationship started going down the toilet
• Started student teaching 
• Learned how to create lesson plans that are DAP approved
• My dog had to have surgery
• I worked 7 days a week
• I reduced my sleep to 2 to 3 hours a night
• I became addicted to coffee
• I broke up with boyfriend after being together for 5 and 1/2 years
• My sister turns 19
• I get interviewed for OSU's grad program
• I fall behind in my school work.
• I stress out as I try and get caught up in homework
• I finish my student teaching and one of the hardest terms ever
• I don't get accepted into OSU's grad program
• I struggle trying to work things out with my ex
• My great-grandma passes away.
• I start job searching
• I get an interview at Little Beavers
• I have issues with my car starting
• I work my last weekend shift
• I get the job at Little Beavers as a full time head teacher
• I get a pet cat
• I am given a car as a graduation gift by my wonderful grandparents
• I decide to give up and not get back together with my ex. I will be happier that way
• I finish my last term as a student
• I graduate from college
• I re-connect with an old high school friend
• I start my new job working at Little Beavers
• I get in my first car accident- I hit a deer
• I get a new boyfriend
• I have to find a new home for my cat 
• I'm given a new computer
• I spend time with  my family at the lake
• I turn in my 30 day notice and start packing for my new apartment
• My other sister turns 8 years old
• School starts for the kids at work. Change of schedule
• I move into a new apartment
• I start to fall in love
• My brother turns 2
• My other brother turns 15
• My schedule changes at work
• My mom is admitted into the hospital for a few days
• I start weight watchers
• I tell me ex I want nothing more to do with him
• My best friend gets in a bad accident
• My best friend passes away
• I say my final goodbyes and attend a funeral and memorial service
• I bring in the New Year with positive thoughts

A lot can happen with a year. It's fun to look back and see how much things have changed. You assume that life sucks and isn't going your way. You feel that you have it worse then anyone else. But then when you go through everything that has happened in the year you start to realize that things could be worse. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. It's all one big learning experience