I get two years with them. I know what they love, where they make mistakes, how many nicknames they’ve had, whether or not they’ll remember to put on sunscreen, what their handwriting looks like, what they want to be when they grow up (for now), who has a sense of humor and which ones are the artists and which ones will chew on the furniture (yeah, really), where they’re going on family vacations, the names of their new baby brothers and sisters, who is most likely to trip over their own feet and who will volunteer to help said tripper to the office afterward. I know what they’re good at and where they need to grow and I catch glimmers of who they someday might be.
I am still surprised by them and how they change but after two years, they know all my jokes and tricks. They want someone new, with new ways to surprise them and challenge them and teach them. They’re SO done with 5th grade and really, I’m SO done with them. Except that on that last day, that very last day, it’s like trying to blow as much wind into their sails as possible, to give them every last little bit of hope and skill to sail on and then finding that it’s difficult to breath back in.
Because they’re not mine, all these fascinating, goofy, kind and knowledge hungry human beings. I have no claim or tether on them. They’re somebody else’s kids; I’m just the teacher.
Letters Home 
Christie,
I know just what you mean. Though I have chosen for now (and maybe forever) not to be a parent, sometimes it’s this aspect of parenting that I envy; that opportunity to have more of an influence than I can possibly have as “just the teacher”.
On the other hand, as I prepare to go on a romantic wine trip honeymoon, I can easily forget about any desires I might have to keep these wonderful children full-time. I love summer!
Have a great vacation. And remember that even though you’re “just the teacher”, you DO have an amazing influence on SO many children! They will remember you fondly. You are a great teacher!
Leyla
Yeah, I’m looking forward to finding out what it’s like when they ARE yours! LOL. Reading this makes me excited to find all these things out about Logan and it’s so weird to not be the babysitter (in my case) for once. It’s exciting and terrifying and wonderful. I can’t give him back, but luckily that is balanced with a bizarre gravity where I never want to be away from him either. So strange!