Subbing in the PreK 3 Class

This is part of a post my daughter wrote on her blog. I'm not sure if she wants her blog to be public so I won't add a link. It was really interesting to see her perspective - in print!

I do a lot of substitute teaching at a private Catholic School. Actually, I mainly picked it up because it was a way to make money over my holiday with the added bonus of it being related to my major and therefore good experience. Also, it happens to be the school where my mother teaches and little brother attends. It is a PreK3-8th grade school, fairly small and I love it here. Whatever your faith may be or not be, any teacher would find relief and peace in starting their day in a small chapel with coworkers in prayer. If you are not particularly a religious person that may sound outrageously boring but I assure you that it is not. The way that these teachers can come together for something greater than whatever gossip they share around the water cooler is marvelous. I always feel better after morning Chapel.

The hardest class I've been asked to sub so far is the PreK3. First of all there are 18 of them which happens to be legal but simultaneously insane. By the way, PreK3 means that they are 3 years old. Think about that for a second, a lot of people who don't have kids or any experience with kids don't realize what 3 years old means.
3 means they walk, they talk, but everything is still done for them. Their motor skills enable them to open doors and hold crayons and food, but not to write very well. They are still learning how to cut (this usually ends poorly) and opening Tupperware is out of the question. Now, obviously being 3 varies from child to child. I, myself, was opening plastic wear left and right. You can tell already which children are going to be problems all throughout school and which will be wonderful yet ALL 3 year olds are affected by fatigue. They all respond to consequences and none have tact nor shame. I love working with these kids but it is literally the most tiring job in the building. And the worst part is putting them down for a nap.

It's lovely to see them sleeping peacefully but nothing will make me sleepier than to watch 18 3yr olds sleeping in front of me in the middle of the day. I am a strong advocate of naps for adults. Why don't we have an hour to nap in high school, what's that about? Or, how about in the middle of the work day? Like prayers in the middle east, everyone in America will STOP from 1:00-2:00 whilst the country naps. I'm down. Give me a presidential candidate who says that and I'll vote for him/her.

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LOL - I like that whole siesta idea! I did not copy her whole post. It continues with her run down on each presidential candidate. Catholic Notebook is not a political blog -- except when it pertains to certain issues that demand Catholic solidarity, of course! Although I happen to agree with her politics (most of the time) I really didn't want to start a political discussion here. :-)