Mom-Me: the Substitute Teacher

I think I have found the perfect paid, out of the home job, for this stay at home Mom-Me. I am a Substitute Teacher. I am not with my kids, but I am still working with kids. This has two bonus features. I am not with my kids; every Mom-Me needs a break from the never ending call for "MOM." Bonus number two: I really appreciate my kids after working with some of these kids. I won't say they are bad, but I will say there are some kids that are a real challenge. I guess you could even say there is a third bonus, but it is a stretch. After spending time with some real challenges, I have stricter instruction with my kids at home.

Every Mom-Me needs a break from their kids. As a stay at home Mom-Me, you are never off the job. When loving, working husband comes home, he does not jump in and let Mom-Me take a break or have some private time. No matter how hard Mom-Me's week has been, she is always on duty for the midnight, "MOM-ME, I have to go potty," or the "MOM-ME, I had a nightmare," or the "MOM-ME, I don't feel good." When you stay home, you hear MOM-ME all day long. I do try to have an hour or two where I tell the kids if you are not going to nap you are still going to be quiet and during quiet time, you do not call Mom-Me unless something is broken or bleeding. Of course then every 10 minutes I hear, "Is quiet time over yet? Is it over now? Is it over now? Is it over now? etc." Mom-Me needs a break.

Working with challenging kids, I really appreciate my kids. I want them to be perfect, of course. I have been stressed that my first son is not an athlete and straight 'A' student. I have been stressed that my second son is stubborn and has quite a temper. A lot of times I feel like a Policeman, Corrections Officer, Warden, Traffic Cop and/or Judge, constantly on my kids for this and that. I know my kids are not perfect. I know that I am not perfect. Working with other kids, my kids are right on track for their age, and since they are my kids, I get to hug them and kiss them a lot which really helps alleviate some of the tension when we are having a bad day. Especially with the four year old, when it is a head butt day, since he is my son, I can stop everything and just say, "Mom-Me is having a tough day, can I get a hug?" This usually de-escalates whatever and brings out a smile.

Working with challenging kids, I am stricter with my kids. We have tried to teach them to respect authority and not talk back, but I often find myself arguing with them. I don't mean too, but I want my kids to know they are allowed an opinion and that they can defend themselves. Unfortunately, I have a hard time separating self-defense and personal opinion from disrespectful, argumentative and talking back. Anyway, on one of my substitute jobs I had a little boy pinch and bite me and call me every cuss word in the book. I have had several children tell me that since I am a substitute they don't have to listen to me. I have had many children who refused to do their school work or even stay in their chairs. I have even had children leave the room without permission. On those days, I am a much stricter Mom-Me that does not allow for any back talk, and there are no warnings. You do what you are told, or there will be consequences.

I do enjoy Substitute Teaching. I enjoy meeting all these new smiling faces which there are more smiling faces than not. I enjoy seeing what they are learning. I love walking into a class where they are writing a story. Kids have amazing imaginations. I have renewed faith in honesty. As an adult it is easy to become cynical and untrusting, but kids, in general, are brutally honest. I love the moments when they are really listening especially when they come up with good questions. I love it when at the end of the day one of the kids gives me a compliment like a kindergartner once said, "you're not scary."

I enjoy meeting the other teachers and hearing what they have to say about our educational system. I enjoy meeting the other teachers and being renewed that their are people who love every age and stage of children and are excellent teachers.

I am a Substitute Teacher, and I like it. The hours are fair, the pay is o.k. and I have the same holidays as my kids. The extra bonuses: I appreciate my kids, I am more consistant/stricter with my kids and I get a break from my kids. It's a good gig.