About the work of a teacher

Whether you are a teacher or child caretaker, everyone in the profession surly had days or weeks where it seems problems pile up upon problems, because...everyone wants something different from you!

It was like this for me last week, and it made me remember a talk I had a long time ago with a few colleagues.

In this profession, you have at least three sides you constantly have to make "happy"...the kids, their parents as well as the institution or school with their requirements and laws. All of them having different interests, of course. Even if we keep doing our best, there are times where it's simply impossible to please all sides involved. It can feel like being in a straitjacket or being pulled apart on the arms and legs.
Especially at such times it is important to remember why we do our work, and why we chose that profession. And also, to not take ourselves too seriously! Every life and work has its good and bad sides, and things go on in one way or other!

(On a side note, I really understand by now why this.profession has a high turnover as well as burn out rate.)

And on and on...

You get to know new students, become a good group, with all its ups and downs in between. Then, before you realize it, the time with those students comes to an end.
Next, you get new students, and the 'fight' starts all over again, as a teacher or educator, you grow to love your students, and eventually you have to say 'goodbye'. And on and on.
And yet, it is not only the students that learn something during the time! You yourself do as well, and it's always a joy to see the little kids growing and ready for their next steps of life.
In the end, all those goodbyes don't matter so much, cause you know you have helped built their lives, in one way or other...and eventually you might learn what became of them. And instead of just one or two kids, you can be proud of so many more, more and more!

(Just a little motivational thought for the summer holidays)