Back To School For Some

I was at the Lake Shore Learning Store this week.  I love that place!   I had to smile as I walked through the store overhearing teachers asking each other "Will I use this?"  or  "Oh I need to get this!" and the ever so popular "I need to get out of here!".   I was teaching Kindergarten when Zachary was born and this will be my second year of not returning to teaching.  Many ask me if I miss teaching or if I'll go back.  There are definite things I like about being a teacher and things I really don't.  But do I think about it and yearn?  Honestly, no.  I am so happy being home with Zachary.  Now don't get me wrong, he runs me in circles and tests my patience often.  But to watch him explore and experiment, it's the best teaching experience I could ever have.
His most recent discovery is the garbage.  Now we have one of those state-of-the-art, heavy duty cans that has a lid that opens with a foot pedal.  The little bugger loves to get into it and take out garbage!  It really does not matter how many times I remove him from it, say "that is not for Zachary" or even present the stern "no, Zachary", he goes back again and again.  In fact he crawls closer to it, looks at me, crawls a little closer, looks again and then lays on the "look what I'm going for, mom!" smile.   Do you know what I'm talking about?!   Tonight I got to that point where I had lost my energy so I just smiled back and watched.   He has figured out that if he leans his chest against the can (he's not standing or walking on his own yet), he can  balance himself, lift the lid with one hand and stick the other hand down in.  Now when you think about it, that is amazing problem solving.  Especially when just a week ago he would see me stick things in it, but he could only pound on the lid.  And when I throw something away, I don't touch the lid, I step on the pedal.  So he wasn't even watching how I was doing it.  All I could do tonight was smile, pick him up and tell him how smart he is and how much I love him!  Maybe one day I'll go back to teaching at a school, but for now I will enjoy being taught by my little man to just sit back and enjoy the moments.  They just grow up so fast.