Sometimes its the small things

Guys. It was Monday. I know that Mondays are suppose to be crappy because its Monday and the weekend has ended and everyone is sad and whatever. Mine wasn't that bad. Now, it was not great. But it wasn't awful! BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT! Today brought some laughs, some struggles and some tears (mine....but for a good reason).

I will start with the struggles so I can get them out and then we can all forget they happened. My struggles come with a few of my boys. They let the most insignificant things ruin their days. Things like where they are standing in line....someone looking at them funny.....the fact that they don't want to do what we are doing....and when I say ruin their day. I mean it. They go full blown pout pout fish. Stomping and huffing and puffing. It takes all I have in my soul to not say something very smart to them and stomp away. Bringing these boys back to a rational state of mind takes lots of calm talking, eye contact, choice giving and making and deep breaths. For both of us....Eventually my special boys will be able to do these things without me. I hope this day comes soon.

Tears-THIS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT THING! Do not be worried for Miss Philips the emotional wreck. I only cry when absolutely necessary.......hahaha okay that's a lie. Anyways! Today my most challenging boy, my boy who has never done a single worksheet on his own, my boy who never stays in his seat because he is usually under it or on top of his desk, my boy who yells and throws his paper the instant it is put on his desk, that boy, that boy DID 2 WORKSHEETS ON HIS OWN! I helped him very little and he only had one little outburst. He stayed in his seat, he didn't throw his pencil once, he listened and participated and he didn't crawl on top of his desk. Guys. This may seem little or small, but for  this boy, he might have just turned a major corner. So when I walked over to his desk and he was working on his sheet by himself and actually trying I knelt down to his desk looked at him and said "Do you realize that you just did this whole thing BY YOURSELF?! AND ITS RIGHT!" then the smile that spread across his face was so incredible, so proud, so wonderful that I started to cry haha. He was a brand new child today. I want to meet that child every day from now on. Will he be perfect from today on? Most likely not. BUT HEY! Its the small things right?

Laughs-Here is my favorite part. The part of my day where my students say something that is so funny that I actually laugh. The same boy that made me cry tears of joy is also the most hysterical child ever. He says things sometimes that you just don't expect and you can't help but laugh. Today we were at recess and were lining up to go inside. All of a sudden from the back of the line comes his little voice:

"Ey! Miss Philaps! Can I play with these nuts?"

He has his hand in his pocket and I literally don't know what to say.....I think the look on my face must have given away how weirded out I was cause he pulls his hand out and goes,

"THEEEEEESE nuts, them acorn nuts, I wanna go bury em"

Me-Oh. my. word. Yes hahahaha you may go bury them. Good grief.

So. Overall I would say that my Monday was good. Not great, not horrible. Good. Sometimes good is all you need. Sometimes its the small things.