The young child cautiously approached her teacher. "Teacher, I'm afraid." Her words were barely audible. The teacher immediately replied,
"Don't be afraid," as she bent down and scooped up the child in her arms. The gentle words washed over the child, but there was more. "I'm afraid, and I have to go to the bathroom. "What is going on? Why are you afraid?" The child boldly shared her concern trusting that her teacher would help. The child had recently seen something scary on the vast screen at the movie theater, and now going into the "big" empty bathroom was causing a lot of apprehension. The teacher lovingly helped the child work through her fears, reaffirming the child each step through the conversation. The child inquired with great concern, "Why did I have to see that?" The teacher gently replied that sometimes Mommy's and Daddy's don't know there is a scary scene in the movie, and if they did know, they would never take you. "Your Mommy and Daddy love you very much. They would never want you to be afraid or want you to worry."
This sweet moment happened in the middle of several other requests and needs: one child was upset; another child had placed himself in time out because of what happened at recess but forgot to tell the teacher. Despite the busyness, each need was met with gentleness and great love.
This is just a ten-minute glimpse into the life of preschoolers and their teachers. There is constant movement, shared concerns, and endless assistance as young problem-solvers work their way through lessons both written and unwritten, all the while preparing children for PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and beyond.
We are blessed beyond belief and inspired with the work and the love that Mrs. Jansons and Mrs. Meyer provide abundantly to their students. These precious women of God desire to be instrumental in the development of every child in their classes. They are totally committed to developing students: socially, emotionally, academically, physical, and spiritually. Thank you both for being such wonderful examples of God's unconditional love. You are appreciated!