On this coming Friday, the school is celebrating Teachers’ Day with a half day filled with games before closing for the afternoon. Parents will then have to take leave or make arrangements to care for the kids.

Woohoo no school!

Many parents, inevitably, will grouse about this. Some will bemoan that they have to disrupt a work day, while some will complain that if they pay school fees regularly, they expect a consistent service day in day out.

Sadly, these are real life complaints which I have heard around the workplace across the years.

These complaints are sad on 2 fronts:

1. People are actually lamenting that they have to spend a weekday with their own kids (?!?)

2. Nobody seems to think that childcare teachers deserve their breaks.

As many of us can attest to, being a full time carer to toddlers might be one of the toughest jobs in the world. I would put it on par with my full time job of handling Mama Toh’s pissy fits, which probably puts it into perspective for you. 

Presenting the world’s most energy-sapping individuals

Childcare teachers are chronically under-appreciated. Period.

Can you imagine spending 10 hours everyday chasing after rowdy toddlers, cleaning up the inevitable mess after they attempt to feed themselves, showering for them and periodically clearing shit (literally), AND besieged with the unreasonable expectation to turn other people’s kids into child prodigies?

How much would you pay someone for such a role? If you have any slight conscience, the answer is: maybe double of what the current market pays.

Summer has always been blessed with extremely good and caring teachers in school. Teachers who really want the kids to enjoy their time in school with memories firmly etched in their minds.

Do you remember anything from your kindergarten? I guess not.

But I know Summer can, because…

Yes, the teachers take photos and periodically print out for our keepsake

For someone who cried for almost 9 months whenever we send her to school, I’m sure it hasn’t been easy for the teachers getting her to her current state, where she excitedly tells us about her day every night.

And coming back with random drawings which are slowly becoming wallpaper

For that, we appreciate their hard work.

So parents, show some appreciation to the teachers this coming Teachers’ Day, because they absolutely deserve it.

P/S: Zavier boy’s first day of school happens tomorrow! Any crying period of less than 9 months will guarantee that he is the bravest kid in the family.

Chillaxing before D-day