This is also why teaching matters. Some of my kids don’t have a lot of support at home. They come to look at me for guidance, direction, and support. Yeah, that doesn’t bring any pressure.
Yesterday, I played mom for about a half an hour while a student was suffering from a pretty intense asthma attack. It was scary. I didn’t know if I would have to call an ambulance or not kind of scary. Luckily, the student had an inhaler, but it took about five puffs to get them back to breathing semi-normally and enough to be able to talk. Scary. Draining. But I needed to be there to hold a student up while they were struggling. Struggling in this case to breathe, but each day I am hold kids up in some way or another as they struggle. Whether it is an in your face kind of physical struggle or an invisible struggle that causes them to lash out, be moody, or try to numb out by not participating, I have to be there to deal with that struggle. And I am saying it is not always easy and I do not always know what I need to do or be for them. And it is often, like yesterday, exhausting. But it matters.
I even slept much more than normal last night because my kid lost his first tooth and was actually excited to sleep, like the Tooth Fairy comes faster or something when you go to bed before dark. I rarely sleep more than seven hours and as I awoke this morning I am still tired. I want to dive under those covers for another few hours, but alas, I am about to get up and put on my “professional clothes” and again go to battle.
Battle for those who don’t have support. Battle for those who are anxious or depressed. Battle for those who are lonely. Battle for those who have lost their will to care about school. Battle for those who haven’t yet found their passion.
I’ll put that armor on again today, not because it is easy, but because it does indeed matter.
*If this has touched you in any way, reach out to a teacher today and say thank you! To all my teacher friends...remember that those kids need you. Do all you need to in order to be ready each and every day for them. Armor yourself with faith, sleep, good food and all the other self care things you need. Thank you!!!
