A Note on Playing Favorites...

Today I learned a couple lessons about myself. One being that I play favorites! I've always kind of denied it but today it was pretty obvious. However, I don't feel bad about it. I think it's normal, and I know my fellow teachers can agree. I'm sure we are all taught not to play favorites but we all have them!

Well, my favorite (by a landslide) is a two year old, boy by the name of Ototake Aoi. We are the best of buds, at least in my eyes. We play together everyday and he's very enthusiastic about English.  I think I could go as far as saying that I love this kid as though he was my own!

Well, today we reached a turning point in our relationship. I realized that he was using me to throw tantrums. Meaning, the other teachers would get upset with him and he'd start crying. So, instead of trying to calm himself down, he would come to me with tears in his eyes, his bottom lip hanging out, and his arms up as for me to pick him up...and I would. Another thing I learned: I baby the kids!

This all got way out of hand! He kept taking advantage of my kind-heartedness and every time he would slightly get scolded he would burst into tears and come looking for me. The worst was during snack time. The kids gather around their tiny tables and wait for all the kids to finish changing out of their pajamas from nap time.  Aoi decided that he was going to throw a fit and only wanted to sit with me, since he was having a fit. I kept telling him that he needed to sit with everyone else by himself, but he wasn't having it. So the head teacher, Muchan-sensei, pushed him away and told him that he could sit with me but that he couldn't have his snack, which in turn made me feel bad. He then got even more upset. I didn't know what to do. So Muchan-sensei distracted him while I dashed to the other end of the table. He cried a little more but was able to calm himself down and join everyone else once I left his side. It was at this moment that I realized, I need to help make him more independent no matter how much I LOVE the attention!