Young kids are not gentle creatures. They headbutt you when trying to give a hug, their little hands tend to pinch randomly, and they have no filter when it comes to what comes out of their mouths. The things that come out of their mouths often times leave me questioning soooo many things, but mostly it makes me smile (and laugh, a lot) because of how they view the world.
Now, it's no secret that I live in leggings, sweat pants, tees, sweat shirts, glasses, no make up...you get the idea. There's no need since I spend my days with kids, often times getting messy right along with them. There are days every so often that I wake up early, shower, and get dressed into actual clothes that I would wear in public and not just pajamas. Those days are few and far between.
I've had mixed reactions from the kiddos when they come to daycare and see me with my curly hair down, jeans or dresses on. Some won't stop staring at me, either unconvinced it's me and are skeptical or they tell me multiple times throughout our day that I'm beautiful. Either brings a smile to my face. I've also had many kiddos worry, when I take rest time to do a wardrobe change. There's been panic across their faces as they ask if I'm going somewhere, as they worry I'm leaving them. There's been a few kids who have even cried thinking I was just walking out on them, which has required a pep talk about how I'd never leave them (and then I question what on Earth makes them think I'm leaving them when I've only put on jeans and tennis shoes instead of my usual leggings and flip flops).
This week I had a Christmas party to get to after daycare closed. So, I used naptime to my advantage and washed my hair, changed my clothes, and put on a pair of Christmas tree earrings. The babies stared at my earrings and kept lightly touching my long hair, eyeing me suspiciously. The other kids greeted me after naps with a cheery, "good job Ash! You got dressed today!"
And this is why I love the honesty of children. Even when they headbutt me as they fling themselves into my arms for a hug.