A Crazy Group of 12 Boys

         Wow! I don't remember having this crazy group of boys since I was working preschool by myself, probably a year ago now and we just had 2 children that were hard to handle. I think it was an older group of preschoolers too. Now we have a younger group of preschool boys and 2 babies and 3 toddlers. I'm going to say this has nice as I can but only 3 out of the 8 preschools are "normal". The other preschoolers are not quite where they should be mentally or really rough because of what they have been though.
         I have prayed more for children in this group more then any other group because it is just that hard. We have a toddler that cries non stop just because and then we have 2 more toddlers that have seperation anxiety so you can't got out of eyesight with them. If you do, they will start to cry and it takes them awhile to stop. Then we have two babies. One that is bottle fed and the other one just started on table food when he came to us.
         Then the preschool is a whole other story. There are 2 preschoolers that that need a little OT and ST. We have a lot of whiney preschoolers no matter what we do. We have a 2 year old that really needs to be with the other babies but we are full in that room so he is with us. We have one preschool that we think might have some major sensory issues and just can make sounds instead of talking with words. Then we have another preschool that has anger issues. When I say anger issues, I mean cussing with the cuss words the right way, biting, hitting, screaming, and kicking. That preschooler is on a day by day schedule because he could get too aggressive to be with the other children.
          When I walked in and saw the aggressive chid this morning, he just stared me down like there was no tomorrow. He didn't say hi or anything. You could just tell by his eyes that he was going to be a "fun" one and he is. ;) He has the cutest smile but just so angry at life. He did tell me at lunch, though, that I looked like his mommy so I'm wondering if I don't remind him of someone.
           Then we have 3 more preschoolers that are "normal" preschoolers. Right where they should be for their age or a little smarter.  All of those children can talk to me almost like an adult compared to the other children we have right now.  They can get very stubborn through and whine when things don't go their way but want preschooler doesn't. Our smartest boy talks a lot about his mommy and what she told him to do and not to do. He also explains what she looks likes. One child is also smart enough to ask staff if they will pray with him before breakfast during one of the mornings.
            We just have a lot of ranges of development issues for one group so it is hard and tiring at times. Even though, I want to move on in life, God always reminds me why I am where I am right now. Like today, He brought that aggressive boy in and now I can't wait and hope God can change him through me with His Love, Safety, Wisdom, Strength, and Patience. There are times where you can only hope and trust that God will take care of them and turn them around for the better. For a lot of them in this crazy group of boys that is all I'm praying right now. It is the blessings that count from my job, though and I just have to keep reminding myself of that when times get hard.
             I want to see those children in Heaven one day and I want them to say to me, "Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I was so glad you gave. One by one they came as far as the eye could see. Each life somehow touched by your generosity. Little things that you done. Sacrifices made. Unnoticed on the earth, in Heaven now proclaimed. You stood before the Lord. He said, "Child, look around you. Great is your reward."
             
Yes, this song is an oldie but a goodie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y