Back to School + the Non-certified Teacher Gig

First day of school for the 2023-2024 school year:

Julia (4th grade), me (elementary school computer para) 

Anne (junior), Claire (senior)

Back in June I saw the elementary school was still in need of a computer para, so I thought what the heck and applied. Schools must be a bit desperate for staff  because I was offered the position without even an interview. It seemed like a good idea back in June, so I accepted, but after only 8 days of school, I'm missing my stay-at-home-mom job. I haven't been this exhausted since I was 7-months pregnant with Anne and moving from Michigan to Massachusetts. However, the school really needs help, so I guess I'll try to stick it out for at least one year. And it's fun riding a bike to school every day while Julia and our neighbor girl zip along ahead of me on their e-scooters. Also, kids make the day memorable:

Kindergartener: "Are you a girl or a boy?"

2nd grader: "I CAN'T GET MY G**D**N COMPUTER TO WORK!"

Kindergartner: "Are you a boy or a girl? You look like a boy, but you sound like a girl."

3rd grader sobbing under a table and pointing at a nearby girl, "She called me a cry-baby!" 

Me: "Just because she says it doesn't make it true."  

3rd grader: "But I am! I'm always crying."

Me: "Well...I cried a lot in 3rd grade too and I grew up to be an extraordinary human being, so don't worry about it."

3rd grader: gave me a dubious look and continued crying.

Yet another kindergartner: "Are you a boy or a girl?"

2nd grader: "I wish [the former computer teacher] was still here."

Me: "Yeah, me too."