The power of Kind People

[Baby Manda]

For fun at work... I watch kids have meltdowns and figure out the reason for the behavior,  then develop a plan to teach a new behavior.... I know I'm a weird... but it totally brightens my day when a kid completely looses it in my classroom!!! I know what to do with challenging behavior,  culturally diverse learners, language learners  and random schedule changes... but I can't handle adults who are unable to put the needs of the students above all else during the school day... 🤔 😳 🙄 

Give me flying chairs, tables shelves and escape artists running down the hallways any day of the week! Just don't give me a teacher who talks down to me professionally,  yells at a child or for heavens sakes threatens a child with... if you don't...... then I'm gonna tell your Mom...

Please! I'm the boss in my classroom! I don't raise my voice, I don't threaten, I don't use manipulation. But my students are allowed to have massive, horrendous,  hideous, horrible, monstrous meltdowns. Because when they are calm again, I sit with them and say. Hi friend. I love you. I'm so happy you are in my class. Would you like a hug? Do you want to sit with me a minute til you're ready to move on? OK. And we never talk about it again!!😮 Wow forgiveness is so powerful!

I'm not saying I've got the best strategy, but I am saying that teaching preschoolers is amazing! It's also not a career for me. It isn't even my passion. It's so much deeper than that. It's like I was born for this, then life really messed with me. You see the world tried to break me, over and over and over again. But every time I got pulverize by homelessness,  poverty, abuse (every single kind you think of prolly), neglect, starvation,  sickness,  social injustice,  religious legalism, inadequate Healthcare, poor nutrition,  unsafe work standards, inappropriate expectations,  and lack of services, someone was there. Maybe it was my 5th grade teacher who really saw me for who I was,  not the poor kid with the drunk mother, who babysat every night to buy herself and her siblings shoes and clothes and school supplies. My teacher saw me as smart and fun and gave a beautiful nickname, that she still calls when she subs in my classroom!

Or the lunch lady at school who always let me have seconds without paying for them

The Grocery Store owner who gave me a job when I moved back and then when he and his wife found out I was pregnant and alone, canceled the debt on my in-store charge account that my ex used without my consent. Then, they bought me 6 months worth of diapers and tons of baby clothes to help make life a little easier, and gave me consistent hours to make childcare easier. 

Sister Estell who stopped by regularly. She took me to church and fed me every week. I remember her telling me so many positive things, and yelling at my parents 😆

 

You see when life tries to rob you of love, joy, peace, safety. Remember! Think hard about those moments you did have kindness shown to you. Remember the smiles, the extra support. The moments someone helped you because that right there is what will get you through! It's called resilience and it doesn't have to be big memories. It can be the pharmacy aide who offered to pay for my meds when I couldn't afford them last summer or the medical equipment store who never charged me for the pulse oximeter when I was super sick with Covid, but couldn't be hospitalized without putting my kids in foster care... the people who check on you every day and really do wanna know how you are. Remember them. Know that behavior is communication and how someone treats you is important.  Choose good, kind people to surround yourself and build each other up! Life is so hard for each of us, we can only get through this together.  

 

[-Soul-]

I love this! Thank you for sharing and I whole heartedly agree with you, I’d much rather kill em with kindness over going nuclear, don’t get me wrong I do know there are times that call for the latter but that’s only when kindness doesn’t work.

 

keep being amazing! 
 

 

[Baby Manda]

1 minute ago, -Soul- said:

I love this! Thank you for sharing and I whole heartedly agree with you, I’d much rather kill em with kindness over going nuclear, don’t get me wrong I do know there are times that call for the latter but that’s only when kindness doesn’t work.

 

keep being amazing! 
 

 

Thank you Soul! 

It takes a special kinda push to get me to the point I go nuclear... then my kids will say I get scary and stay outta my way... 😇

[beanbean]

You would like an amazing teacher and the world needs more of them like you 

[MommyDom41]

I'm so proud of you! You are what we need in school systems these days! Someone who actually cares and wants our future children to thrive on love and not fear..

To many parents are so caught up in the social media of having a perfect family they actually forget about their family..they would rather the world see them as perfect then be seen as a family with problems or needing help.

I am 100 percent for you and I absolutely love your positivity! 

[shadowrider]

 Learning how to hang on to the good times and memories and the promise of a better tomorrow is definitely a key to remaining grateful and content in life. Paul was in prison when he said he learned the secret to being content in every situation. Most today struggle being content with an older phone or slow internet and here Paul was locked away and still not bitter or downhearted.

Keep holding on to that spark inside you and keep shining for those around you.

[LittleLuci]

these kiddos are so blessed to have you as a teacher and role model, thank you for the share this morning!

[Baby Manda]

7 hours ago, shadowrider said:

 Learning how to hang on to the good times and memories and the promise of a better tomorrow is definitely a key to remaining grateful and content in life. Paul was in prison when he said he learned the secret to being content in every situation. Most today struggle being content with an older phone or slow internet and here Paul was locked away and still not bitter or downhearted.

Keep holding on to that spark inside you and keep shining for those around you.

I love the stories about Paul! He struggled so much and kept going! Kinda like telling the world... is that all you got? My favorite verse is in Timothy and was written by Paul to Timothy "For God did not give you a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (self-control)." 

Thank you for your encouragement. 

[Baby Manda]

7 hours ago, MommyDom41 said:

I'm so proud of you! You are what we need in school systems these days! Someone who actually cares and wants our future children to thrive on love and not fear..

To many parents are so caught up in the social media of having a perfect family they actually forget about their family..they would rather the world see them as perfect then be seen as a family with problems or needing help.

I am 100 percent for you and I absolutely love your positivity! 

Thank you for your support! Schools are a scary place today. Way too many people telling teachers what to teach and how to teach. We're missing out on childhood.  I have the opportunity to offer children the space to be kids and it's beautiful!

[Dangerously_Well]

Wow. Your passion for teaching preschoolers is absolutely breathtaking. It's clear that it's not just a job for you, it's a calling, a deep-seated purpose. The way you approach those meltdowns, with such understanding, patience, and love, is truly remarkable.

To be able to see beyond the challenging behavior, to understand the root cause, and to develop strategies to teach new behaviors – that's a gift. And the way you describe your interactions with the children, offering comfort, hugs, and forgiveness, is so incredibly powerful. You have a rare and beautiful ability to connect with them on a profound level.

Your story is also a testament to your resilience and strength. The hardships you've endured are devastating, but the kindness you've received from those special people in your life has clearly shaped you into the compassionate and caring person you are.

The 5th-grade teacher, the lunch lady, the grocery store owners, Sister Estell – these people saw your worth and offered you love and support when you needed it most. They showed you what true kindness looks like, and you're now paying it forward in your own way.

Your perspective on resilience is so important. It's not always about the big, dramatic moments, but about the small acts of kindness that sustain us. It's about remembering those who helped us and choosing to build each other up.

You are an inspiration. Your compassion, your strength, and your dedication to your students are truly admirable. You are doing amazing work, and you are making a real difference in the world.

I am so very proud of you!

[Baby Manda]

1 hour ago, Dangerously_Well said:

Wow. Your passion for teaching preschoolers is absolutely breathtaking. It's clear that it's not just a job for you, it's a calling, a deep-seated purpose. The way you approach those meltdowns, with such understanding, patience, and love, is truly remarkable.

To be able to see beyond the challenging behavior, to understand the root cause, and to develop strategies to teach new behaviors – that's a gift. And the way you describe your interactions with the children, offering comfort, hugs, and forgiveness, is so incredibly powerful. You have a rare and beautiful ability to connect with them on a profound level.

Your story is also a testament to your resilience and strength. The hardships you've endured are devastating, but the kindness you've received from those special people in your life has clearly shaped you into the compassionate and caring person you are.

The 5th-grade teacher, the lunch lady, the grocery store owners, Sister Estell – these people saw your worth and offered you love and support when you needed it most. They showed you what true kindness looks like, and you're now paying it forward in your own way.

Your perspective on resilience is so important. It's not always about the big, dramatic moments, but about the small acts of kindness that sustain us. It's about remembering those who helped us and choosing to build each other up.

You are an inspiration. Your compassion, your strength, and your dedication to your students are truly admirable. You are doing amazing work, and you are making a real difference in the world.

I am so very proud of you!

Thank you so much! This bring years to my eyes! I had just finished typing a paper on challenging behavior when I wrote this and my heart hurts for so many families this year. So much suffering for my students and their families that I needed to remind myself that there is hope. 

Thank you for seeing me. Sometimes being seen is the most powerful thing you can do for someone.