Have you ever had a job where you just felt abused, and where the negatives heavily out-weighed the positives? Have you come home after a long day of work and been not only physically, but also emotionally drained? This was the problem I was faced with for five years at my previous job. "What was this horrible job?" You may be asking yourself. The answer may be surprising, and even a little upsetting. I was a preschool teacher, and I disliked my profession most of the time. The trials and tribulations of being a preschool teacher forced me to re-evaluate my direction, and change my career path.
The day in the life of a pre-school teacher is nothing short of physically draining. First, you have the gross stuff like helping children blow green snotty noses into cheap Kleenex. How about wiping stinky bottoms that have not seen the bath tub in a few days. Then you always have the boys" rest room where the mopping of endless puddles of pee-pee consumes a good portion of your day. Don't forget the flu season, where you become a member of the barf battalion. It never fails that if a child is going to throw up, they will wait until everyone has sat down to eat lunch, thus starting a chain reaction! .
In addition to all of the above, there are also the tedious never-ending duties. Take for example, sweeping sandy sidewalks over, and over, and over again. Picking play dough out of every crack and crevice, of the children, the room, and you becomes a constant battle. Obsessive hand washing becomes a necessity if you don't want every virus or communicable disease known to man. .
Now besides the perpetual physical regimen, there are even more adverse emotional tolls that a pre-school teacher must face. There are the tears when mommy leaves, disappointment, and despair when she is late. Then there are times when it is ultimately evident that nobody even cares. I have had the experience of some children having no one at their pre-school open house or graduation.