I would make a TERRIBLE teacher! I hear that people whose ONLY motive to be a teacher is because they want summers off so they can go kick it at the beach does not a good teacher make. Yeah, I’d be one of those teachers. “Okay, okay, when can I get rid of these creatures so I can go drink a margarita in a resort town?!”
People always assume that because I had so many brothers & sisters that I enjoy kids. I’m sorry. I’m not a kid person (do you know how many people this statement infuriates?! It really ticks some people off when I say this.) I’m just not. Let me clarify, I LOVE my kid. I am an “Lboy person.” I also really really like my younger first cousins. They are a lot of fun. And I’m pretty sure that if I could meet the kids of my bloggy friends, I would really like those kids too. But kids that I have no personal connection with, I’d really rather just not mess with them.
I’ve always been slightly wary of kids (even when I was kid I was wary of kids-I always liked being around the adults. They always had something so much more interesting to say.) I’m the person who gives the kiddos that annoying tap on the head & cheek pinch (isn’t that what you do with them?!) and then go on my merry way. I honestly don’t know what to talk to them about or do with them. Give me a brick wall & we’ll be best buds in five minutes flat. Give me a person under 4 feet & I’m screwed.
And I’ll be 100% honest. It’s actually the kids who would rather not have anything to do with me. I can feel them recoiling from me as soon as we are within 50 ft of each other. I truly believe children have a sense of the adults who are uncomfortable around them. And it’s not that I don’t like kids because I think they are smelly or talk too much or dirty or anything like that. It’s because I can NOT relate to them. I don’t know what to talk to them about, I literally sit there while I’m with a kid & break into nervous hives (exaggeration) and my palms starting sweating (not an exaggeration) and my mind starts spinning as fast as it can, “What do I say?! What do I say?! What do I talk about?! What do I talk about?!” “They’re going to HATE me!” “They’re going to HATE me!”
There are some people who are just MAGICAL with children. They can relate to them so amazingly, it’s like hearing music notes become a beautiful song. Todd is that way. He just has a natural ability to be around kids & kids like him. My MIL, a former elementary school teacher & principal, is absolute MAGIC with kids, MAGIC I say. I swear child intuition KNOWS that she is a kid person & they flock to her. If a kid is in the vicinity he or she is going to befriend her. My cousin, Kelley, is great with kids. I always tell people she’s a mother, just with no kids of her own. My friend, Nancy, is awesome with the little people. She just knows how to be around them & they know how to be around her.
But I’ve started to notice something. Now that I’m mother, I’m getting better with kids. I’m learning that I don’t have to know the right thing to say or do, they usually just want someone who is genuinely listening to them. I’m learning to frickin’ calm down and just “be” while I’m in the same room as them. I’m getting there, but my hands are still sweating. And I’m working on not giving out so many head taps & cheek pinches–I hear they hate that! 🙂
But I still don’t want to be a teacher. No way. No how. But I would take that Margarita!
Hai, how are you today? I like to read your blog post. Will back for another update
Cheers
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Hahaha Kate, I LOVE you!
Why? Besides the obvious reasons…is this post. Your ability to admit that you're not a kid person! OMG you rock, mama! Because honestly inside I feel that way too. I'm just never good with kids, it only came naturally with my own but with other people's kids…not so much.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in pennnig this site. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal website now ;)Feel free to surf my blog ;
And at least you're honest about it! Nothing worse than people who think they are kid people and definitely are. not. Ha!
You are freakin'hilarious! Honesty is FUNNY. I don't care what anyone says! I'm like that with cats. Not just because I'm allergic, but they just annoy me. I hate the way the rub on everything, the way they pounce on stuff, jump on the counter (eeewwww!!!!) But cat people, GOD FORBID they find out you don't like them. It's like a personal attack or something! Sheez. It's an animal people. And yes, of course, they flock to me, if I ever find myself in the unfortunate position of being in a room with one!
I could not be a teacher either because I have NO patience! I thought about substituting or preschool teaching because the hours would be when my kids are at school and summers off. Then I thought, NO way, I could not hack it for a day much less a whole year. I have a lot of respect for those who do it–I think it is a calling. I just couldn't. Still looking for that perfect PT job!
dude…i make my kids cry when we do homework. i don't know how teachers do it. as for a kid/adult person. i know how to act w/my kids…give me someone's kid(s) and i'm a statue. haha i too don't have a clue what to say or do w/them.
Actually, I totally get it. I'm not a kid person either. And even with my own, I never got into the baby talk or wanted to endlessly hold. Kids are people, too, and should be treated that way.
I totally get it and 100% agree! It is so not a job for me either! I couldn't stand it. I make sure to treat my kids teachers so well for that reason alone. I don't want to do it! You totally had me laughing and nodding along with you!
I completely get it! This was hysterical Kate and the fact that you can admit that is nothing short of heroic for me (I'm still trying to overcome my people-pleasing ways).
I consider myself a kid person though, but I get your point. I never talk down to kids and do the baby-talk, not even with my daughter. I guess mostly, kids want to be treated like almost-adults too. I guess if it were me, I'd talk about not being a veterinarian. Or pet groomer. Or a zoo-keeper. Not a pet person here. I don't hate them, I just don't feel comfortable with them. LOL.
I'm not a kid person either. I have this very small window that allows me to tolerate kids that are the same age as mine. As soon as Julia grows, that window closes!
Good to hear an honest opinion on this subject. I have no choice in the matter with my boys bringing their friends around everyday!!!
I wanted to be a teacher at one point and then I realized I was out of my mind! Kids are annoying…especially grimy unknown ones!
With that being said I am actually pretty great with kids and they straight LOVE me!
I got my first cell phone when I turned eeghtien and it was a huge deal. They had just started getting really afordable to the common man. Unfortunately I still found a way to have a rediculously high phone bill. I have no idea at what age my boys will get one. Thankfully I have a while yet to decide.
I think it's healthy to know your strengths. I mean, otherwise you could have picked elementary ed out of a hat and been miserable. I think the kids can tell which teachers just love being with them and which ones can't wait to "clock out".
I guess kids do bring out the best in us, kids used to hate me too, seriously, they take one look and cry(haha)but now that I have one they just seem to flock around and play with me for no apparent reason:-)
Oh, and take it from me, someone who HAS taught school….I never wanted to be a teacher either. Well, not THAT kind of teacher. I LOVE teaching voice, I LOVE teaching lessons at church. But NOT groups of kids.
I love your honesty here, it cracked me up. I was always such a HUGE kid person. Could never get enough of them. But now, I don't know…I'm not as much anymore. So, I'm somehwere in the middle of your place.
But I totally know many people like you described…magic with kids. They're fun and fascinating to watch.
I completely relate to you here! I have always felt so awkward around kiddos. One of the neat things about becoming a mommy is that I can now relate to kids that are the age of my kiddos or younger. I'm still out of luck with kids between the ages of 2 and 12, though. 🙂
Very, very strangely, the thought of becoming a teacher (after the girls are in school) has crossed my mind several times. I LOVED my job before the girls were born, and I want to go back to it, but the thought of being off when the girls are off is so tempting! But I remind myself that I want to be SANE when I'm around my girls, which doesn't gel with me being a teacher to other people's sticky kids. Bwahahaha!!!