I Just Wanted to Squeeze Him!

Today I substituted for a kindergarten class. I was really nervous about it because I swore I would NEVER sub for elementary again--after my third-grade subbing fiasco. I could really use the money, though, so I took the job. The day started out rocky because I was late and there was frost all over my car making me more late. Nervous and late! Not a good combo.

The day actually turned out to be one of my favorite subbing days out of all the appointments I've done. The kids were SO CUTE! There was one little boy whose cheeks I wanted to pinch so bad, but I refrained...you never know with all the "no touching students" rules; I didn't want to get fired, or sued. I wish I had a picture! He had a hard day and cried at lunch because his mom forgot to bring him his lunch...jerk. It was heartbreaking. I just wanted to squeeze him and make it all better. We got it all worked out, but it was still hard to see him so hurt and embarrassed.

Then there were these two little girls--also very squeezable--whom I did not understand a word they said to me all day! Poor things. They would just talk and talk, and I could see the frustration build up in their little faces as I continued to say, "What...Huh...One more time...Sweetie, I don't understand...What?!" Finally I just started to nod and say, "Oh...Ok...Sure...Show me!...No...Yes." It helped a little.

I taught the kids how to say "hello" in Ukrainian. They didn't understand that Ukrainian wasn't Spanish--half of the class spoke Spanish, but I did my best. It was so cute to hear them all say "Privit!" and wave. Overall, it was such an exhausting but lovely day filled with chubby cheeks, tiny chairs, "Miss Teacher!", "He hit me!", cut and paste, singing the alphabet and a song about the color brown, and cute little arms giving me hugs as they left. Yep, I do like kindergarten.