Do Everything in Love

Every day at preschool is its own little adventure. My workday starts sometime around 7:40 am, which has been an adjustment since I have never been an early riser. I begin by making sure all the classrooms are set with supplies. As the lunch program coordinator, I also help get breakfast set up. If there’s a teacher out, I may be substituting in that classroom, so I’ll take time to look over that day’s lesson plans. Then, the kiddos come in! If I’m not filling in for one of my coworkers, I spend time in each classroom covering breaks for teachers, organizing lunch, and doing all sorts of activities with the students: sometimes arts and crafts, sometimes outdoor play, sometimes story time. No matter what, it’s always a blast! After school ends, I help with clean up and head home. Although I usually try to be productive once I get home, sometimes I just take a nap. While 4-year-olds are cute, they can be equally exhausting. Once the rest of the community gets home, it’s time for community dinner and prayer. In the evenings, I’ll use my time to play games with the rest of FC24, talk with long distance friends, do prep work, or catch up on TV shows (I’m watching Abbott Elementary right now, highly recommend). Then, it’s time to rest up for the school day tomorrow!

If you couldn’t tell already, I love my service site. Sure, it can be chaotic sometimes, but that’s the joy of working with children. I have grown super close to my students and their families, as well as my coworkers. However, this doesn’t mean working in preschool is without its challenges. During my first month or so of working in preschool, I struggled watching the hardships my kids and their families were facing, especially since it seemed as though there was nothing I could really do about it. But one of my coworkers gave me the best piece of advice when I told her how I was feeling. She told me, “All we can do is show them love. And sometimes that’s all they need.” I can’t make the lives of my students magically get easier, despite how much I wish I could. But what I can do is be a source of unconditional love for them. And that’s why I get out of bed every day at an hour I would usually deem unreasonably early. To be that loving presence for my little besties and make their days a little brighter.

Categories: General

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