in a jacket two sizes to big

i will preface this blog with this statement,
i love my job.
since i am pursuing a career in education,
i figured working at a daycare would help me understand how to interact with kids.
but they are so cool.

i can be having the worst day ever,
i go to work and am greeted with smiles and energetic little kids.
they don't judge me,
they just want to play outside and want help with their homework.

today i smiled more than usual.
one boy was being teased by a group of girls,
he totally deserved it,
but he resorted to calling one of the girls chubby.
i immediately told this boy to never call a girl chubby, or fat
hoping to spare him future pain and agony.
another boy followed my correction with the most innocence one can muster and said
"You can't call people fat to be mean. Some people are skinny, some are fat. It's not bad. Everyone is different."
i smiled and saw that he was serious.
he believed what he said.

and then there is one little 5k boy.
he is the shortest kid on the playground.
all the girls love him because he small and easy to pick up.
but since today was a little colder, the kids had sweaters.
i was already outside on the swings waiting for the kids to come out.
then i heard, "Josh!!!"
it was a mobile army jacket with tiny legs and small hands sticking out.
it was him.
wearing an army jacket.
or maybe the jacket was wearing him.
his small face was enclosed in the hood
and the jacket was two sizes to big.
throughout the day i was attacked by this camo puffball.
then he broke my heart.
i told him that i liked his jacket.
he said, "Yeah, it's from the army. You know my dad was in the army!"
i smiled but held back tears.
his dad died last year in iraq,
fighting for our country.
he took it real hard last year
but has made major improvements this year.
his mom works hard and raises her son by herself.
he loves his dad
and is proud that he was in the army.

i love my job.
if people would listen to their children or hang out at a daycare,
they'd realize what really matters.

.windowsopen.

-Lnk-