#67 Don’t Ask A Question If You Aren’t Ready For The Answer

You aren’t four years old yet — but my experience with four year olds is that they ask a LOT of questions. You know what I like about them though? They ask all those questions and they truly want the real nitty gritty answer. It is often the parents or adults who feel awkward about the question asked, and skirt their way around answers when most four year olds I know could more than handle the truth. I wish I could say the same for adults.

Life is full of questions- tough questions at that. Where do babies come from? Where does my dog go when it dies? Am I proud of the person I am becoming? Why did I not get the job I applied for? Now that I have this job WHY did I apply for it? Does he love me? Do I love him? How are you? No REALLY how are you? Do I go to college? Where? Is it time to put mom in a nursing home? Will I be able to retire one day?

You get the point.

I’m making you a promise right now that as you begin to face life’s questions –simple and complex– I will always do my best to be honest with you. To give you the straight answer, and if I don’t know the answer I’ll help you find it. Please be prepared though, because I do not promise to give you the answer you would like, hope for, or desire to hear — if it would be telling you a lie. Don’t think you want an honest answer? Then don’t ask.

I want you to always inquire, to desire to know more about the world around you and yourself. However, the world doesn’t need any more people asking questions who don’t have a thick enough skin to handle the truth. I’m not saying that the answer to every question is something bad or grotesque or discouraging, I just want you to be prepared incase you find out something you weren’t expecting. Ask questions–learn–be pleased with the good and struggle your way through the bad. Just make sure that when you ask, you have your ears and heart ready for the answer.

#40 (?) Take It Easy on the Substitute

It’s true I substitute teach from time to time. I give my substitutes from childhood new respect. Why do I sub? Mainly to pay the bills while enjoying all the luxuries of picking what days I work and being able to stay home frequently with the cute bundle that this blog is all about.

Karrigan please be nice to your subs. Yes, I want you to enjoy what will most likely be an easy, laid back day. However I also want you to respect your temporary teachers as much as your full time ones. These people are here to help you. Who knows, if you are frustrated with a class they might even be able to give you a fresh perspecitve on a difficult lesson. Substitute teachers often get called only an hour or two before they are expected to walk into a class room full of strangers and pick up on any number of subjects and lesson plans. Before you say it is easy I would like to see you try it.

I understand that you  might not have the same focus as you do when your regular teacher is leading the class, but you should. The day might run different than usaul because the substitue doesn’t know your teacher’s schedule. You might know that you can get away with a little more. I’m just asking that before you work to press your substitue’s buttons you consider what life would be like in their shoes. That maybe you should decide to show some respect to a guest teacher like you would a guest in your home. That perhaps you could be the bright spot in someone’s day that you already are in mine.

The main thing here is to remember respect. If you want others to respect you, start by giving it to them.