I grew up in a small rural town and ended up having my aunt as a 6th grade teacher and my mom in Jr. High and High School. It seemed very normal to me. Sometimes there were some negatives I could have lived without, but for the most part it was fine. Never would I have imagined that I would be teaching my own son one day.
I teach 5th grade math, 2nd grade math, and also run the after school program. It is a great job, part time, in my home town with great kids. This year Grady is in 2nd grade, so for an hour each day he comes to my class for math. He is a great student and loves math, so I didn't think it would be too tough. I started out the year just acting totally normally. Didn't matter at all that my kid was in the class. Of course, he called me mom and a few of his friends call me Jana, but other than that is business as usual.
Recently a couple funny things have happend that I just need to share. Yesterday we were playing a math fact game, and Grady was the first to answer correctly. When he realized this, he took advantage of his back row seat and started doing a tame version of the sprinkler dance. I looked at him from the front of the room, and said, with a smile looking at my crazy kid, "Really Grady? Please stop." His response, "Yes, Mother" in the most angelic voice with the cheesiest little grin on his face. Everyone laughed including me and we got back to the game.
The day before as class was starting one boy said something little that hurt another boy's feelings and of course the second tattled to tell me how his feelings were hurt. I then told the offender, "If what you are going to say might hurt the other's feelings, don't say it." I then started on a little soap box of mine talking to the entire class. My speech went something like, "More than anything in school and life it is important to be kind. Before you talk, think about what you are going to say, and if there is even the smallest chance that it could hurt the other's feelings or they might think you are being mean, don't say anything. We should say things that make others feel better, that help them have a good day, all other talk should be left unsaid." As I stopped and looked around the room, they were understanding what I was saying. Then my son says, from the back row, loudly and proudly "Ephesians 4:29."
(Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in building others up. Can you imagine if people tried living by this principle?).
I just smiled and said, "yes you can tell we have talked about this at our house a lot."
My heart smiled in both of these little moments, flashes of time that most parents do not get to see. All kids are great and every kid has cute moments where they make their friends and teacher laugh, making school fun. Moments that pass so quickly they are hard to remember at the end of the day, but we are thankful to have them in the moment. As a teacher I get to see that everyday in other people's kids, but I feel extra blessed to get to see it in my own child.
I know I am in the right spot right now, and I am thankful.
