Jellybeans, Cartwheels and Peppers

Sometimes I watch kids and they just seem so...well, I guess fearless is the word. I watched a little girl pick out bright blue nail polish the other day in about five seconds. Meanwhile, I spent the better part of my "relaxing" pedicure debating between red and frosted red. When we were doing jelly bean math before spring break, one of my girls proclaimed that she wanted to try a black one because she never had before. I was proud of her for that. I fished around for one and she just popped it in her mouth and chewed - and she liked it! We've been sampling fresh fruits and veggies in the cafeteria twice a month and on pepper day I was sure they'd walk right past the table, but nope! Here are my little risk-takers ready to take a bite!
I've got one little girl in my class who wore a rust colored knitted cap with a huge flower on top and knitted braids that hung down on each side for about a month straight. Now she's moved on to wearing two different shoes. I'd never dare to persuade her to be a little more "normal" about her interesting dress habits. I think she's a pretty neat kid for having the moxie to express herself like that.

Toddlers and little kids flash big huge smiles no matter how crooked their teeth are. They cry when they're sad or angry. They express their emotions openly and freely. They fall asleep wherever they are when they're tired.  Somewhere along the line we start to be self conscious of our teeth that might not be perfectly perfect and learn to keep our emotions to ourselves. Even though I have felt like screaming, crying, laughing out loud or curling up for a nap at various times this week, I  didn't. Well, except for the curling up and sleeping part. I did manage to fit in a nap or two after school.

I watch kids who just break into a skip walking down the hallway or do a cartwheel on the recess field and I have to say I'm a little envious. When's the last time I skipped? Have you done a cartwheel lately?
I passed by the pepper table empty handed. I haven't worn a hat in ages, let alone a knitted cap with built-in braids. I have worn two different shoes to school once, but only because I got dressed in the dark and have a few pairs of the same shoes in different colors.

Now I know that not all kids would seek out the black jellybean or bite into a fresh pepper, but it's pretty cool that I get so surround myself with the kind of kids that do just that every day

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22 comments

  1. Great post :) I feel a little envious too
    Brooke
    Teachable Moments

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    1. I wish the kids themselves would appreciate their own childhood instead of being in such a hurry to grow up!

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  3. I had another link in the last post... that darn "command c"!!

    Ooh! Those peppers look yummy! :)
    During the holidays, a mom gave me this beautiful knitted or crochet hat with a flower... bright red!!! I love it and wore it multiple times! I live in AZ so I can wear a cute hat for like a month!
    Wear a hat, wear a hat!!! {I'm chanting}! LOL :)
    I love working with little ones for the same reason!
    ❤ Sandra
    Sweet Times in First
    sweettimesinfirst@gmail.com

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    1. How funny! I am not a hat or jewelry girl, however I'm starting to come around to the dark side of loving jewelry so maybe hats are next! lol!

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  4. Those kiddos can be pretty inspiring.
    Great post.
    ❤Traci❤
    Dragonflies in First

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    1. A good reminder to stop and remember they are just kids. Sometimes there are such crazy demands on them it's easy to forget they've only been on the earth for seven years!

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  5. ahh... one of the many great things about working with children :) sometimes we all need to remember to step back and see things through the eyes of a child! (though I must say, the one time I tried to be "fearless" and step out of my comfort zone and let my kids see me with "diffused" curly hair (which is generally my lazy-weekend style), instead of my normal straight hair, their comments were a little blunt... one girl asked if I had done my hair like that on purpose!! haha!! And here I thought I was having a good hair day! lol!

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    1. They notice the things we'd rather them not notice and then don't see the stuff we parade right in front of them!
      Im a curly girl too but I've been getting it straightened for years now. I think I'd freak out my entire school if I walked in with curly hair!

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  6. Love the post ! I will try to remember to skip today :)

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    1. I'll join you on the skipping because I'm pretty sure the cartwheel would land me in the ER! lol!

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  7. This is random... but today I thought of you when I used up a tall container of sprinkles... What Would Denise Do? haha! I know you have a large collection of empty containers *just in case*! I kept the container in honor of you!
    ❤Teri
    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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    1. Ha!! Too Funny!! Keep that container girl, you never know!!

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  8. What a great post! When I look at my kids skipping down the hallway, doing a cartwheel in the classroom, or hopping around like a bunny, I think to myself, "I wish I had that kind of energy!"
    I need to skip more, do some cartwheels and hop around like a bunny...maybe I'll lose some weight!
    Connie:)
    www.welcometofirstgraderoom5.blogspot.com

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    1. Me too! I keep drinking coffee but I still can't keep up with them!

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  9. This was a very inspirational post. I always say oh how I would love to be a kid again. Of course that is not possible. Your post helped me remember that even though I am no longer a kid, it's okay to skip and hop like a bunny sometimes! Teaching and seeing that energy is part of what makes it so great:)! Thanks for the reminder!

    Ashley
    Live2Learn

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    1. Hey Ashley!
      I think that is definitely the best part of teaching, even if you have to remind yourself of that sometimes! lol!

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  10. I did a cartwheel the other day as a reward. I told the class that if we worked really hard to get our math done, I'd do a cartwheel at the end of the day. It wasn't a great one... but you should've seen them afterwards! So many of them said it was their favorite part of their day. I also occasionally do a 'one minute dance party' as a reward, and when I dance along, they just love it.

    I think that's part of why I love teaching- I get to let my silly side out! :)

    Jenny
    Luckeyfrog's Lilypad

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