As adults we oftenhave “childhood amnesia.” By thatI mean we forget what it’s like to be a child and think like a child. Children love candy. They just do! I was on a plane one time and a little girl was screamingbloody murder and driving all the passengers crazy. I happened to have a small bag of M&M’s with me and Iasked the mother if I could give them to her child. The mother said, “Yes, and get me a gin and tonic whileyou’re at it!!!” I leanedover to the little girl and said, “I like candy, do you? What’s your favorite kind? Would you like some of my candy?” Well, she stopped crying and became ahappy little camper. And the restof the plane was happy as well!
K.J. and I weretalking about Christmas and he said he could hardly wait for the toys andcandy. I asked him which one heliked best and he emphatically said, “Candy! Candy is better than toys!” Go figure!
Nutritionists andpsychologists are probably cringing if they are reading my blog. But that’s the way it is. You teachers who are on the front lineevery day in your classroom know exactly what I am talking about.
So, where am Igoing with all this? I have acandy story for you. I would NEVERuse this with children. In fact, Ihad forgotten all about this story until someone emailed recently asking for acopy of it. It mightbe fun to use at a faculty meeting to add a little energy and laughter. And, you might be surprised thatgrown-ups like candy as well!
A DAY IN THE LIFEOF A TEACHER
(You will need tobuy Twizzlers, Snickers, Twix, a Tootsie Roll, Crunch, 100 Grand, Starburst,Sugar Babies, Baby Ruth, 5th Avenue, Watchamacallit, Mounds, Hugs,Kisses, Skittles, 3 Musketeers, Good and Plenty, Lifesavers, and Pay Day. If you can’t find everything just eliminateit from the story. The firstteacher to raise her hand when a candy bar is mentioned gets the treat.)
Your alarm goesoff long before you are ready to get up. It really doesn’t matter what time it is – you still are not ready toget up. But you go through themotions of getting ready and before you realize it you are already atschool. You walk in the door andare twisted and pulled in ten different directions – just like Twizzlers. The sink in the room is stopped up, amother wants to have a long discussion with you, and here come the twins, alsoknown as the Sugar Babies, who are on a sugar high. It’s barely 8:30 and you can tell it’sgoing to be one of those days.
As you settle intothe morning routine, out of the corner of your eye you notice the school guineapigs, Skittles and Snickers, are trying to break out of theircage. Luckily, Ms. Baby Ruth,your wonderful team teacher, catches them and secures the cage. The Three Musketeers, Todd,Robert, and Jeremy, are having a contest over who can run the fastest and Annaand Maria are arguing over who’s coming to their birthday party. You smile and pat yourself on the backfor “rolling with it” just like a Tootsie Roll.
Twixanswering an email and welcoming a new child, the teacher next door wants youto come see the store she set up in the math center. “Oh, Miss King,” you exclaim, “It looks just like 5thAvenue.” The books you orderedthree months ago have just arrived and the children thank you for Good andPlenty things to read. Onechild is looking for a particular book, but he can’ seem to remember thetitle. “You know, you know, theone with the Watchamacallit on it.” He’s getting really frustrated when one of the otherchildren finds it. “You’re such a Lifesaver,”you say.
The day proceedswithout a major incident. Well, ifyou don’t call Kevin dumping a jar of glitter all over the floor. Every time you walk you feel a Crunch. After lunch you get a Starburstof energy and begin on the Mounds of testing that must be done.
When the childrenfinally leave there is a knock on your door and in walks your principal. Today is Pay Day! You open your envelope and realize youwill never be paid for what you are worth – even if they paid you 100 Grand. So here are some Hugs and Kisses (passthese out to everyone) to thank you for what you do!
