Reassurance About Turning 24

Since Maggie knew my birthday was coming up, many of the other children at school also found out. While helping one six year old with her weaving last week, she looked up at me and asked how old I was going to be for my birthday. I told her I was turning 24 and she replied:

"That's pretty young to be a teacher. But it's OK Miss Rachel, you look like you're 30!"

Seeing our Parents Clearly

One morning, while driving Maggie to school last week, she asked me how old I was. I replied that I was 23, but that my birthday was in 4 sleeps. Then she said:

"Ooo! This weekend we'll have to make you some presents and a birthday cake!" ...long pause... "Well, probably actually buy you a birthday cake. My mom is pretty lazy with cake baking."

What a Husband is For

For the last week and a half I have been helping a family from school by going over in the mornings to get their daughter ready and take her to school, which has given me plenty of material for my blog! For the purposes of this blog and the many to follow, we will call this child Maggie.

I went over to their home one afternoon before I began helping in the mornings so we could go over everything and they showed me around the house. The house is older and has a lot of character and unique designs, which I really like. When I saw the master bedroom, I commented that I really loved it and Maggie's mom said she hoped someone else would love it too and be willing to buy it because they will be moving this summer.

Maggie then very excitedly said that maybe I could buy their house! I replied that if I had the money to buy a house right now, I would love to buy their house, but that I don't have that kind of money right now.

Maggie thought for a minute and then proclaimed: "Maybe you could get some from your husband!!!"

"But Miss Rachel, it taste-ez good!"

While out on the playground this afternoon, one of the children called my attention to another child who was on the swing. When I looked over, I saw why the first child was so excited. The boy on the swing had his tongue out and was licking the chain holding up the swing! The following conversation took place:

Me: Dear friend, please don't lick the chain. It's dirty.
Child: But Miss Rachel, it taste-ez good!
Me: I'm sorry, silly, but we don't lick the chain.

He gave me a sly little look with a smile, then stopped licking the chain. A few minutes later, I looked back and he was licking the chain again. I reminded him again to stop and then he explained,

Child: I'm going to eat it for my dinner! It will be pretty crunchy! And it might hurt my toothies back here! (pointing at his molars and flashing a completely irresistible smile). 

The Depths of the Ear Canal

After lunch recently, a child came up to me and said: "Miss Rachel, will you look inside my ear?" I knelt down, looked at his ear, and asked what was wrong. Then he said, "Can you see anything?" I responded that it was dark and pretty hard to see in there and he said: "Can you look in there and see if there's something in there?" I looked again and told him that he had a little scratch outside his ear, but that it looked OK inside and he walked off.

Then he went to the other teacher in the room and said, "There's something in my ear. Could you stick your finger in there and get it out?!"

What is Love?

During a fire drill at school recently, all the kindergarten classes were outside together. My friend, and fellow kindergarten teacher, Wayne came over to say hello and gave me a hug. Then one of the kindergartners remarked, "awww, Mr. Wayne and Miss Rachel are in love!"

If only it were really that simple!

Mr. Rachel

It's pretty common in Waldorf kindergarten's for the teachers to go by Miss/Mrs/Mr "their first name," but the three other teachers in the class from my internship went by their last names. Because it feels more true to who I am and my philosophy as a teacher, I chose to be Miss Rachel.

One afternoon while the children were putting away their nap things, one of the teachers was talking about her husband and referred to him as Mr. "her last name". One of the children promptly turned to me and said: "Miss Rachel, is your husband's name Mr. Rachel?"

I guess the logic follows, but I'm not sure how my then-boyfriend felt about being Mr. Rachel! Although a few weeks later the children all very adamantly wanted me to "bring some cookies home to Mr. Rachel," so it seems there are some benefits!