Reflection...

With almost two weeks until the end of the academic year, I thought it would be cute for me to reflect on the things I have learned about kids in the 5 months (WHAT - HOW DID THAT HAPPEN) I have been here. Also, bullet points take far less energy to structure than full fledged paragraphing does.

1. Kids love to leech all your attention. Not even kidding, kids will do anything to get your attention. I guess every parent knows that, but considering I haven't been there, I never really realised how demanding they can be. It's on a whole other level to babysitting, it really is. Oh, and in a class, there are 26, not two children to keep an eye on. On a day to day basis I listen to children incessantly chant "Miss Abby, Miss Abby" while I am already in the middle of dealing with another child. It is kind of objectively hilarious that they just have no awareness of when to wait and when to ask.

*Shout out to the kid who brought two rubber bands for show and tell today.*

2. Their personalities are so diverse! You can just imagine the adults they will grow into. I swear I didn't realise how early on these traits and behaviours begin to develop. Some kids are shy, some very bold, others patient - perfectionists, extroverted, introverted, serious, silly...gosh. And of course their home environments play a part in shaping them, which we don't see, but I am sure that primarily, the way each child is must just be hardwired. And you can always count on them to just say it like it is.

3. Children over here seem far more dependent than kids in New Zealand, and I would attribute that to the "nannying culture" that is so normal here. The dealio is that every family has (at least one, often more than one if they are wealthier) nanny who does all the mundane tasks with the children, which parents would otherwise do. Basically, if you don't have a nanny, the assumption is that you are simply too poor for one. Some of these nannies go as far as feeding, tidying up after, and packing their childrens bags every morning. It makes me so sad seeing 5 and 6 year old kids (and even older) getting babied. Not only that, but I reckon it must have a huge affect on the kid's relationship with their parents. How confusing must it be for the kids? It reminds me of Stockett's The Help, when Aibileen has to say goodbye to Mae Mobley...
Also - a lot of these nannies are immigrants with their own kids back home! They live with and raise a stranger's kids while their own grow up motherless on the other side of the world. It depends on the situation of course, but often they only get to visit briefly every 2 years or so.

I couldn't remember all the things I planned on writing, but oh well.

I am so ready for summer break and travelling!

Til next time yo