So Much Already in the First Three Days

Well it has been awhile since I last posted on the blog.  There is quite a bit to catch everyone up on.

Those kids have been wearing me out (but each day it gets a little easier...and when I'm not "new"

they test their limits much less--can't wait for that).  I work with one to two year olds from 8 to 5

most days and they are a handful.  One is jumping from a table while another is pulling someone's

hair while the third needs a diaper change.  I have 7 full-time kids and then we get a couple for a few

hours or so.  I work with Ms Carmen and Ms Sede and between the three of us things somehow

manage to get done. 

I have a bit of a commute to and from work each day.  I have to catch the 6:54am train and then walk to

post (and then I catch the 5:55p home).  There is quite a bit of hiking to get there (which is charming now,

that it's fall and the weather is nice...but once winter hits it is really going to be a bummer).  Along the way,

we have a pear tree and a plum tree (so that makes a nice breakfast or evening snack). 

Monday I came home completely beat, Tuesday it was a little better (I could eat a bowl of cereal without

falling asleep in it) and today I'm physically fine, but emotionally drained.

Today four of my seven full-time kids have a parent being deployed for a full year.  Watching those goodbyes

today was absolutely heartbreaking.  Everyone was crying and trying to get "one more hug" before Mom or

Dad left.  A couple of the parents held it together while they were in class, but as soon as they were outside

you could hear them crying from the window.  Today was just a day of hard goodbyes and some really upset

toddlers (who don't know how to communicate their emotions other than crying, acting out, and major temper

tantrums).  So everyone was feeling the stress of deployment (and I have a feeling we will be for some time).

Some of the coping methods for our age groups is to have an unwashed t-shirt of mommy or daddy's because

the smell of the parent is comforting.  We also have a lot of pictures of the deployed parents hanging up at toddler

level around our classroom (and near the area they have their naps).  Some parents recorded a CD of them reading

a favorite book or singing a favorite song for the child.  So we have an action plan to help our kids cope with their

parent being gone in ways that they can understand.

Well more to come from me (this weekend is a 3 day weekend...so I'll let you know what comes up_

Megan M. Gallagher