Why preschoolers trump teenagers.

I had a conversation just after the start of school with a few friends about which is more enjoyable, parenting older children/teenagers or parenting young children.  In contrast to my friends, I chose young children.  I can't be entirely sure what has led to my adoration of preschoolers, after all, I was not the teenage girl who, at church, begged the moms in my ward to let me babysit their little'uns.  Somehow, these 9 1/2 years of parenting has bred in me a love for all things toddler.  I think it may have something to do with Joy School.

My mom did Joy School with my younger sister while I was a teenager.  Even though I was typically self-absorbed at the time, I remember clearly the Joy School theme song, I've Got Joy.  This family-centeredness motivated me to rope a few moms into teaching our kids preschool when Anna was just three.  I've been doing it ever since.  Miraculously, I manage to find 4-5 other moms willing to do fingerplays, make messy art projects, sing silly songs, and play with puppets for an entire year.  In all honestly, the first few years were rough.  I like to think that the kids in that group were rotten, but I'm sure the fact that I was not a seasoned preschool teacher had more to do with it.  Still, I stuck with it and my confidence in teaching children has grown leaps and bounds.

Toddlers/preschoolers are the most adorable things.  I love their boundless energy, the way every step has a bounce to it.  They say the darnedest things.  They absorb everything.  They are so innocent it makes them easy to love, even when they are throwing a tantrum over the fact that their hot dog bun broke apart.  I mean, you can't help but giggle inside while you envelope them in your arms over the tragedy.  So stinkin' easy to love.  I just might keep teaching Joy School long after all my kids have graduated onto elementary.

Eh.  Maybe not.

                                        I mean, look at those faces.  Just look at them!