A Broken Record

We're two months into a new school year. For me, this means I'm more or less a broken record. There is a short list of things I say daily. At least 5 times a day. Each.

1. "Fingers out of your mouth, please." I say this so many times a day, I could possibly just put it on a loop in my classroom. It would catch someone with their fingers in their mouth 4 out of 5 times. There are 2 variations of this I say just as often, so technically, if the loop just included "Toy out of your mouth, please." or "Hands out of your pants." Then I would catch someone in the act, every time. Every. Time. 

2. "You need a tissue." and "Fingers out of your nose,please." Lest you think fingers only go in mouths and pants. No, toddlers like their fingers every where. Every. Where.  I say this 10 times a day, and just as often I say (frantically) "Don't put that tissue back in the box! It goes in the trash can." Do you ever wonder why children get sick every year when the school year begins? It's because, while children are amazing beings, they are also filthy creatures.

3. "Let's wash your hands." I say this so much. Luckily most two year olds don't mind this at all. It's a chance to get wet/play with water. Mostly they love it. Thank God, or the illnesses would be year round.

4. "We don't walk around with food in our hands/mouth." or simply "Please sit down." Lots of toddlers snack on the go. I know, but I'm not going to lie, this one drives me nuts. Nuts. Only children who only eat on the go have to be told daily, multiple times to please, sit down until they are finished.

5. "Does someone have a dirty diaper?" I change so many diapers. So. Many. Diapers. I'm sure I can honestly say it's well over 25,000 to date. I wish I was kidding, but I'm really not. It's one of the only times in my day where I can't believe how little I make and under appreciated I am.  Don't get me wrong, I make more than the average American woman (because I work at a great school, my field is terribly underpaid) and I have benefits. Not to mention I love my job, and it's way more than my paycheck for being a caring mommy. It's just that I change some heinous diapers and that is just the most diseased, filthy thing you can be in charge of. Think of the disease that would spread if I didn't sanitize properly. Okay, I'll get off my soap box. 

So there you have it. A day in the life of a broken record. If that broken record happened to be that of a preschool teacher, in a two year old classroom.