The C word !!

I LOVE first graders!! Yes, if you had to spend every single day with fifteen six year olds who are all so demanding different, you'd want to poke your eyeballs out a break occasionally and this where I come in...the sub!

Last time I had these guys I met "my little sweetheart" who had lost a tooth 'cause it bled when he washed it so the doctors removed it...read that story if you haven't already, ADORABLE KID !!! So I was completely looking forward to what conversations would unfold during my day in first grade...

First, I should explain that first graders are a little less forgiving when subs do not do things EXACTLY LIKE THE TEACHER so I do my best...it's hard having fifteen critics constantly telling you that you were supposed to read them a book after snack and not after lunch....but hey, I've learned to admit "I am trying to entertain you kids so you don't go home crying do things the right way but as long as we get it all in, the teacher will be so happy."

Back to my little sweetheart who I almost did not recognize because he forgot his glasses. Well, I met a little opposition from one kid in the room who did not want to draw me a picture of a person doing their job in a familiar place (fireman/fighting fire, teacher/school) as we discussed nouns (people and places) and then write me a sentence about it...he preferred to be doing cartwheels or punching holes in his water bottle which would leak all over himself and the floor...so I continued to speak and ignore his comments but not my little sweetheart...he marched up to my desk, with a look on his face like he had just witnessed a major crime and he patiently reported the information...
"Now, now, I believe I just heard (he looks back at the defendant to make sure he's accusing the correct criminal kid) yep, I believe I just heard the C word !!" I'm saying every curse word in my head trying to remember the C word hoping he doesn't see me smile so I look sternly at the defendant and say nothing. My little sweetheart is nodding his head and patiently and politely accusing the kid of the C word crime and then the accused says, "Crap???" I simply shh him and point to his paper hoping this will just blow over and not be a big deal. I tell the sweetheart to go back to his seat and assure him that was kind of an inappropriate word and that it would hurt my feelings if I hear it again. Luckily it worked.

This same sweetheart got nervous (again) when he got behind on a test and came up to me and said, "with all this racket, it's making my minds a crazy" as he made dramatic swirling motions around his little head. I had the kids quieten down and assured him my minds were crazy too, lol.

After that, he told me in front of the whole class that my name and his teacher's name sure were very nice names (wink wink) and a couple of the boys said, "oooooh I'm gonna tell Mrs. W when she comes back!!" and the adorable sweetheart said proudly, "Don't mind if you do! And be sure to tell her we'll have a new student in here beginning next week!"

I heart first graders