They're watching

Last week I watched admirably as parents posted their perfectly groomed, new clothed, happy first day of school picture on social media. I bet in between Insta (Instagram as we old folks call it-my teenagers tell me it’s called insta), Facebook, and Twitter (I’m not cool enough for snapchat), I probably saw 400 “back to school” pictures. I scrolled through this pictures with such delight. I loved seeing the new bookbags. I loved seeing the creativity of some of the signs parents made. I loved the funny ones. I loved the ones with the little ones teary eyed. I loved the clothes. I loved the ones when the little ones were so proud of their new shoes. I loved seeing the lunchboxes knowing that the first lunch packed is always healthy, creative, and with a positive note (knowing that within two weeks…the kids are lucky to have a lunch).

But I am not going to lie to you. I scrolled through all of these with a tad bit of sadness. This is the first year in 13 years that I wouldn’t have a back to school picture. When I left home on the first day of school, my boys were still asleep. I would not receive a first day of school picture this year. As I sat back and thought about this, I realized that I’m not the only educator who sometimes spends more time with other people’s children than I do my own. We give a lot to other people’s kids.

Oftentimes, I have kids in my office during recess or lunch or during the day helping them complete work. I am standing at the front of the school almost every single morning, welcoming the first students who arrive at JBE at 7am. I spend almost every afternoon with students who have not been picked up on time. I stay during afterschool clubs. I often am one of the last ones to leave each day. 

I started talking to the Rosebros about this as I was feeling like a pretty inept mom. They began to tell me about their favorite memories at JBE. They remembered as really young kids watching the teachers do Zumba. They played hide and seek within the school (and the stories of them doing this had me crying with laughter). They recalled the times they played on the playground afterschool and got themselves locked out of the building. They had great stories of their times in the JBE musicals. They had memories of helping me unpack books, set up for events, and playing in the gym for hours. They knew all the teachers who had candy in their rooms- before Michelle Obama (their opinions not mine) eliminated candy in schools. They knew which teachers would let them write on the boards in their rooms. We talked for hours about being the principal’s kids.

The Rosebros reminded me that I do give to other people’s children-sometimes more than I give to them- but they don’t mind sharing me. What I realized is that I am teaching them through my work about service to others. The days, especially in August and September, are long and we sometimes neglect our own children, our laundry, our house, our gym, our nails, our hair, or our sleep. Just know that it is worth it and it is being watched by others. Others care, appreciate, and notice what you do.