16 October 2008

*That* made it all worth it!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not that crazy about other people's children. When I got the supervisor job at my boys' school, the first thing my brother said to me was, "That's a great job for you, Jen. They'll let you intimidate little kids and give you a whistle." He calls me a 'drill sargent mom' so he was only half kidding.

The other supervisors and I joke that by this point in the school year, you know two types of kids by name; the really good ones and the really naughty ones. And it's true.

One of the particularly good ones I'll call R. She's a kindergartener and has red hair and blue eyes and looks a lot like my youngest neice. Her particular table is one that I help on a daily basis; C had that teacher last year and I do what I can to ease her load. R and I have never had any particularly bonding moments other than the fact that I help her get her milk open. She's on the shy side, but she will say "Good Morning" and "Hello" if I address her first.

There's a point to this.....hang on.

Parent/teacher conferences were held today and since we live so close to the school, we walked. We had just left the building and rounded the corner when who do I see coming but R. And when she spots me, she comes running and gives me a giant hug. I hugged her in return, of course, and told her to have a good conference. Then I turned to J and with a lump in my throat say, "That's the reason that I kept this job."

To have maybe been a bright spot for sweet R, and in return, she is a bright spot for me.

That makes all the other stuff TOTALLY worth it.

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