WARNING: this post is long. Also, it's kind of cheesy- so please don't laugh at me :) However, if you do feel like reading the whole thing I would love feedback or suggestions on things that don't work or things that need improvement.
“Great, you’re hired. You’ll be working in the infant room. The kids age from 6 weeks to 18 months.”
That line stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked like a deer caught in headlights because I loved working with kids of all ages but babies? That was the one age group I had zero experience with. When I applied for the job I dreamed of teaching preschoolers or kindergardeners. The thought of working with babies never even crossed my mind.
“I’ll take the job but is there any chance of me ever moving up in age groups?”
I couldn’t imagine handling a baby at the young age of nineteen let alone struggling to care for four or more at a time, all by myself. To me, this was as foreign as a dress designer trying to make shoes. I had to take the job, it was the first daycare that was actually giving me a chance. Anything would have been better than my current job at the time where I helped cranky customers at Kohls. However, the word babies kept circulating through my head as I dreamt up images of screaming, crying, and even dropping the babies. I didn’t know how to feed them, care for them, or change their diapers, but I knew I had to try.
I glanced hopefully at the woman giving the interview; short and petite with fluffy white hair and a lipstick smudged smile, she had introduced herself as Pattie. Now, Pattie laughed as me as she saw the uncertainty and hopefulness mix on my face.
“Not too comfortable with the babies? You’ll do fine after training. I can see it already. If you aren’t comfortable after a month or so we’ll work something out. Deal?”
I gave Pattie my most hopeful smile as I nodded and got up to leave.
The very next day, a Tuesday, I began my first official day on the job. I promptly arrived about five minutes before my shift started and walked into the baby room. First, I noticed six fresh faces scattered throughout the room. Some were eating a snack while others slept peacefully or played alone on the rug. Some walked, some sat, and some couldn’t do either as they laid somewhere completely helpless. However, one thing that stuck out to me was that no one cried. The teacher who circulated the room seemed to have every infant under control. It amazed me.
I peered in the doorway for a full five minutes as I took in every detail. The room was a little larger than a master bedroom with cloud wallpaper covering every wall. The floor was half tiled and half covered in a dark blue and yellow star rug. When I counted, there were eight mini chairs set at two tables, three high chairs lined against one wall, and ten cribs scattered around the room. Also, there was an array of toys, jumpers, and seats for the children to explore. Nothing was plain about this room as everything was covered in a decoration or project made by the children. However, the room couldn’t help but look inviting with all of the cheery colors and eye catching pictures, so I stepped inside.
The teacher turned when she heard me enter and quickly walked over to me with a baby on one hip. She was a pretty African American girl who looked about my age. She introduced herself as Donnisha and said the baby was Evan. Donnisha then went around the room to introduce all the babies to me since they couldn’t do it for themselves. Makayla was a pretty African American who babbled away as she walked around the room, Connor had blonde hair and could walk as well, Olivia was a mix of Black, White and Chinese, Nick had light brown hair and looked the same age as Olivia. The youngest babies were Evan, who sucked his thumb as Donnisha carried him around, and Aubrey, who I quickly learned wore a helmet because she had been born with a flat head. Although each child had distinguishing features, it was hard to keep everyone’s name straight at first. The only one I never forgot was Aubrey because with her helmet, she came with a list of rules. In order to keep the helmet working and forming her head properly she had to spend a large portion of the day with it on (which made her cry) and when it wasn’t on she couldn’t lay on her back and had to stay on her stomach (which also made her cry). Apparently, the helmet was expensive, Aubrey was developmentally delayed in some areas, and her parents really wanted to see improvement. Donnisha warned me that she needed the most attention but I had to be careful to split my time between the others as well.
I was exhausted already and that was before I learned their schedules and habits. Aubrey ate every three hours, Nick and Evan every two and Olivia every four. Makayla and Connor followed the “big kids schedule” of real meals from the kitchen and everyone got their diapers changed every two hours. However, those two hours never seemed to line up quite right. On top of that, I had to write everything on a paper for their parents to take home when they got picked up. Their papers outlined their entire day and the parents really did thoroughly check it over.
My first diaper change came almost right away as Evan had pooped. Donnisha did a great job of explaining the procedure but it was a lot to take in. I unzipped his yellow onsie, took off his dirty diaper and he peed all over me. It was definitely not the way I wanted to start off my new job. The day got worse from there as I repeatedly forgot to write down information on their sheets, was late at changing more diapers and could barely pick them up without treating them like china dolls. I was only there for 4 hours and Donnisha proved to become a fast friend at the end of the day but working with babies proved more daunting than ever.
That was in June and the rest of the summer went pretty much the same. It took me hours to change the diapers because I was scared to hurt them, my shirts were constantly splattered with spit up, and some infants cried and cried for hours. While all this sounds as unappealing as ever, I was nonetheless hooked. The people I worked with all became my closest friends and I became super close with Donnisha since we worked together every day. Eventually, I was left alone when we got down to four babies every night and Donnisha went home, but that wasn’t even that scary. Why? Because my mom started working at the center as well. We have always been really close so it was nice to have someone to go to work with and stay with me until the end of my shift.
A couple months into the job, Pattie called me into her cramped wood paneled office once again.
“How do you like the infants? You’re doing okay?”
This is when I realized that through the struggles I really did enjoy my new job. It was 10000 times better than dealing with complaining customers at Kohls and in my own way I had formed a bond with every baby.
When school started in the fall, Pattie made it clear that I needed availability from at least 2:30 to 6 every day. So, I logged onto the computer and made a few changes to the beginning of my junior year’s schedule. Eventually, I got it to work.
As this year has rolled on I’ve been lucky enough to watch my babies leap through milestones. Each one has grown up in their own way and at their own pace. Some have gotten attitudes, others became shy or smiley, but each has grow in amazing ways. It took me about six months to master the babies but now I’m in love. I change diapers faster than the blink of an eye, know the cry of each child and have each quirk and trick up my sleeve. Now, when I think of it, the infants grew fast as a summer thunderstorm passes through the sky. One minute, they were helpless and now they can each stand on their own. I think of them as “my babies” since they all love me like a fish loves the sea. A fish can’t survive without the sea and I believe the babies and I cant survive without each other either. Even my saddest days can be cured with a simple hug and kiss from each of them.
Olivia can be a bully to all of the others. However, when I yell at her, she turns and waves or blows me a kiss. It melts my heart. Nick is now my helper as he delivers each child’s paper to their parent as they leave each night. Two kids who, less than a year ago couldn’t even crawl, now walk around like they own the room. Aubrey’s helmet is off and her head is as round as a circle. She now smiles and pulls herself up. Connor and Makayla aren’t even in my classroom anymore because they are so grown that they are considered “toddlers.” I know each child as well as their parents know them. It took less than a year for a cement bond to be established.
When I think back to that June day when I was hired I see myself asking, “I’ll take the job but is there any chance of me ever moving up age groups?”
Now, I wouldn’t switch for all the money in the world. My classroom constantly changes as I discover new projects that can even be done babies. It is colorful, warm and inviting to the parents and children. As I go through my daily routine, I now have each child’s schedule memorized. Next year, I’ll be a senior and with a career in education I need to start substituting. It will be hard but after this summer I must kiss my babies good bye.
Even though I have always wanted to teach, this helped seal my decision. If I can see so much change in babies I can only imagine what I can do in an actual classroom with older children.
I want to teach; I always have and always will. The feeling of seeing my babies blossom and grow like flowers was indescribable. I love older children as well and can’t wait to see them blossom full of knowledge.
Thanks in advance.
xoxo
Ali
