Is it worth it? The daily grind of set hours day after day after day. It's a constant cycle of headaches, sore throats, and rising stress levels. Why do it everyday, come to a place that is filled with high pitched screams and loud yelling. The constant disputes with co-workers that are about a hare away from being knocked out cold. The boss riding one's back, metaphorically speaking, every now and then. Am I making a difference, if any, with these kids?
For it has been said, a person who takes time to listen to kids and ask them how they feel makes a difference in a child's life. In some ways I do and parents sometimes compliment the way we work with them, but other times they merely find things that are wrong. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes, because these children that stand before us are the future. We can't avoid it, some may succeed, some may fail, it is a matter of keeping the faith.
As years go by, they grow up and they will have kids of their own. They too will someday come to the place of insanity. Will they have the same personality of their father/mother? One can only determine that by careful observation. I often think this will lead to something greater. If and when some of us leave this place one day, will any of us have left their own mark in a place that swallows people whole and burns people out in an instant.
Though the paycheck is an incentive, it's not the main focus, though it pays the bills. It's the smiles and love from the kids whenever I walk through the doors and each of them yell my name. I could compare it, it would be like yelling NORM! when the people see Mr. Peterson walk through the doors of CHEERS. At the end of the day when all is said and done a hug from any child is the greatest incentive than any paycheck. I started this though by saying is it worth it, and I end it by saying.......Yes It Is.
