I have started teaching school. My first day was two weeks ago and now that I've had time to digest what is actually happening, I feel that I can share it with you.
"Only the brave should teach."
I'm not sure who said that, I'm feeling a little too lazy to go look it up, but someone said it. And I'd have to say that I concur. Teaching really is a difficult profession and I quite frankly don't know that I'm cut out for it. Oh, I'm not giving it up, that's for sure, but there are some aspects about teaching that I don't know that I'll ever be able to get over. (TANGENT- as I am typing this, Avery is getting into the bathroom cabinets. Luckily that's not where I keep the rat poison. TIME FOR CABINET LOCKS!)
One thing, for instance, is that kids have these really active and wild imaginations. Which I love. But also, it can be a real damper on the class when I have all 20 kids arguing over which of their own ideas should be incorporated into the play we're writing. How do I go about weeding through that mess? I want our work to be original and written by them, but honestly, I can't use everyone's ideas.
Another thing is that people have this perception about theatre education that is puzzling to me. Actually, I don't think it's puzzling because it does make a little sense but I just hate it. Parents of the kids in my class somehow think that all we do in theatre class is plays. I get emails from parents that ask if their little johnny can sit out during my lessons because he's not comfortable doing plays. I want to respond that we're not doing a play at this moment- but we are learning how to control our voices and our bodies so that when the time does come to do a play, we're all prepared. It's like, being in a music class and all you do during class is get together and play a symphony, or everyday in P.E. you compete in a triathlon. I don't think that some people realize that theatre is more than just acting in plays. There is a lot of technique and skill to be acquired, not to mention many other roles to take on besides acting, before you can just waltz up to any ol stage and perform shakespeare.
The last thing I'd like to complain about is that fact that some kids cannot be helped. Well, okay, that's not exactly what I mean. What I do mean is that I, Karie Warner, can not be the one to teach your kid all the life skills that s/he needs to be successful in life. I will certainly try. But it is impossible for me to do it all. Now don't worry, no one has said that they expect me to, I'm merely saying/typing this to assure myself. Because I really want to teach these kids how to get a grip. But I'm not superwoman. And there will hopefully be many other teachers in these kids lives that can further their progress into normal humanization.
Now then, on to what all you people really want to hear about: my sweet little Buttercup. Let me just say that if any of you happend to read my middle-of-the-night facebook status updates, I was seriously lacking in the sleep department. And I currently still am. You see, Avery has been all out of sorts for the last two weeks. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that school has started and life as she knows it is crazy and hectic. Which, it is for me also, but she's little and doesn't know any better. Her anxiety is coming out in her sleepy time, or should i say her severe lack of sleep time. She went from sleeping all the way through the night plus taking two or three really good hour/two hour naps to waking up at 4am and taking two quick 30 minutes naps everyday. And then this past Friday night was really the kicker. I was so tired that I was walking around our apartment asking myself if this was really happening. Can a person actually function properly like this? The answer, my friends, is no.
Here is what happend:
It was 8pm on a typical Friday night. Avery had not had a nap in five or so hours so it was definitely bed time. I was rocking her to sleep, like I normally do, and wilson announces that he's going to go down to the 24-hour coffee house that's near our apartment and take these tests in order to get certified in something for work. Alright, alright I say. I was planning on watching a little t.v. and then hitting the hay as soon as Avery went down, so the fact that he would probably be gone all night didn't phase me. He had to take three tests that were each two hours long. Shyeah. So Avery falls asleep and I put her in bed. Woo-eee! It's mama time. I pull out the little chocolate caramel brownies (that are only 60 calories a piece, you have to only eat one or two, that's the tricky part...I'm trying to lose weight) from the fridge, turn the t.v. to TBS, Forrest Gump is on, and I settle down for a nice quiet evening. Well, 9:30 rolls around and I'm just about ready to go to bed, when Avery wakes up. So I go get her, rock her back to sleep, put her back in bed, and then go in my room to clean up a little. So I'm sorting all my school supplies and pretty soon, princess has woken up again. So, I go get her again, rock her back to sleep and finally decide that I better get to bed. I wash my face, put my jammies on, get under the covers. I'm exhausted. I was up at 5am with Avery that morning (and every morning for the past week) and hadn't had a nap all day. I look at the clock...10:15. Shoot, I'm beat. The next thing I know, it's 11pm and Avery is screaming in her crib. Buhhhh. I get up and get her out of her crib and we go sit in the living room until she's reaaaaallly sleepy and ready to go back to bed. Midnight passes. 1am. 2am. 3am. 4am. Oh my word. Is this child ever going to bed!? She's been crying for two hours, and quite frankly, so have I. We're both exhausted and cranky, except the difference is that she doesn't want to go to bed and I do. Wilson is still not home. Avery is still screaming. And I've just about had it. Similac recalled their formula due to a beetle infestation and Avery won't drink anything else, so it's not like I can give her a bottle to make her settle down and go to bed. So, I decide that enough is enough, put her in her crib and go lay down. She's still screaming, of course, but if she cries longer that 15 minutes, I'll go get her. I go get in bed and stare at the clock. 4:15. screaming. 4:18. screaming. 4:20, a little less screaming. 4:27. she's out. So am I.
Wilson gets home a little after 5 and he reports that Avery is sitting up in her bed. At least she's not screaming. I tell him about our hellish night and he says that he'll stay up with her for awhile so I can sleep. I sleep till 8:30 and then get up so wilson can get some rest.
She took one nap on Saturday.
I'm dying.
And I'm sure that you are too, after reading this whole post.
Today is Sunday and we are all exhausted. I'm dreading tomorrow because I know it's going to be a long week.
I hope all of you out there get some sleep tonight.
