“Miss Richardson why were you laughing so hard during reading?”
This question was asked after silent reading in my class a few weeks ago. It was one of the few moments in my teaching career (so far) where I was unable to control my laughter. I’m not talking about “haha” kind of laughter. I mean I’m talking about “tears running down my face, hard to control my breathing, laughing OUT loud” kind of laughter.
You may be asking yourself, what was the source of this laughter? Well, one of my boys was uncontrollably farting for a solid 45 seconds in a room that was at a level zero (teacher talk for no talking). I know, I know… call me gross or a child, but that is exactly what I work with everyday. At this moment I realized, I don’t let my kids see me laugh enough. I love my job so much, but sometimes it’s so easy to become wrapped up in the regulating of my classroom, that I forget what it’s like to laugh and smile.
My kids are so easy-going and joyful, and that is not to say that they do not live hard lives. Some of my students have struggled with things that I cannot even imagine happening at my age. But they persevere, even if they have no idea what that means. They smile when it’s not always necessary and laugh when it may be inappropriate.
I want to be more like these children. There is a reason that Christ tells us “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). My students know very little about their future (probably nothing), and yet they do not fear what is to come. They do not lose sleep over their homework or how much money they will make when they grow up. All they know is this life, and they are perfectly content with living in the here and now.
So here’s to being carefree like my students. To singing “Let It Go” and actually singing the words with the intentions of letting it all go, and letting God. Here’s to laughing at farts and the word “butt.” Here’s to letting my students, family, and friends see me laugh uncontrollably and smile unconditionally.
As I dance around the room with my second grade class to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” I vow to live this life simply.
