5 Things....

Five Things I Learned This Week......

It is funny how some work weeks are great. Nothing goes wrong and I seem like everything I set out to do is accomplished with great results. But then there are those weeks that are horrible, everything that possibly can go wrong does. The week seems to drag on and on. Then when it finally arrives, the weekend, it is spent in seclusion, away from noise, colds and viruses, stress, demands, expectations, and yes, even rules and policies. Well, usually if I have a really tough work week, I spend Saturday in complete rest! I am usually too tired to even write!

This was one of those weeks, long and exhausting. But, it was also been fun, filled with sweet moments and loads of learning. While a few of our children were out on vacation this week, it seemed like the rest of the class felt it necessary to kick it up a notch to keep the crazy teacher/energetic toddler equilibrium in the classroom. It felt like everyone was sick, kids and teachers alike. Everyday more than five teachers were out stretching the staff really then, some days we lost planning time or had to combine our classrooms so that one of us could be sent to another classroom. Thursday was staff meeting, which means a very long day! The end of the week brought on transitions for two of my little ones who will be moving up. It is going to be a rough transition for at least one of them who happens to be really attached. She had a complete meltdown when I had to leave her in her new classroom. :( Talk about heart-wrenching, I had to leave quickly before showing my own sadness. But I was very grateful when her teacher came back to my room to tell me she was doing okay and had settled down after a while. She was so nice to put my heart at ease. When they came back to my class after spending a couple of hours, my poor little one was so confused. She looked like she was on the verge of tears again as she looked at me, so betrayed for leaving her there. I smiled and welcomed her back with a big hug and soon her she was smiling and happy again as well. It is so fun to take walks around the shopping center with 8 toddlers in tow. This week due to low numbers and GREAT weather, we got two days of fun nature walks. We got so many pleasant smiles and hellos from people passing by. They got a kick out of seeing our four child strollers. One little boy mention how our stroller was bigger than his (two-seater stroller :D) While it is always nice to see a new face at work, it is not so nice to see a bunch of seasoned teachers leave after years of working together. A total of four teachers (that I know of) are leaving the center. Now comes the long process of trying to find replacements and the constant influx of strangers in the classroom, at a time when I will also have to deal with new children in my classroom.

So this post is dedicated to five things that I took away from this week' life lessons.

I learned how to let go: change is one of life's many lessons and almost always good. Without change, there can be no growth and development. Life will go on, even if I am not directly involved.

I learned to not let stress take over me: I like to be self-reliant, I like for everyone to know I can do my job @ 115% even when I am not feeling my best. It is okay to say, "I need help." It is okay not to be perfect in a demanding profession.

I learned that my body needs a break every now and then: I can not be an efficient teacher/caregiver if I do not take care of your body. Leave all work at work, use my breaks and lunch breaks to rest, relax, and recuperate!

I learned a smile can go a long way: the best smile is one that is given to brighten someone else's day. A generous smile almost always returns to brighten my day.

I also learned to appreciate everything, especially those around me, from friends to family, co-workers to the stranger on the street: Fresh air is so important to the body and mind. I need to spend more time outside exercising my body and mind. This weekend I relaxed in the company of family and good friends. It is also amazing how healthy (albeit yummy) food, movies and lots of laughs while resting comfy on a couch does a body good. :)