According to the Huffington Post, nearly four out of five college students have a job.
I highly doubt this statistic is any different for Harding students. Many of us sling pizzas, wait tables, tutor other students, monitor computer labs or have other on-campus jobs. I am sure that most of us are glad to be gainfully employed, but these jobs require us to play a mental balancing game between classes, work and social life. And even though we’re grateful for our employment, that thankfulness does not negate the negatives of part-time work.
On a daily basis, I go to work, where I am supposedly a supervisor of two individuals, but every day I am met with constant defiance. While I am supposed to be “in charge” of them, I catch myself catering to almost their every whim. Any attempt at scolding or discipline is met with floods of apologies that are always followed by the same behaviors. Every day after lunch there are bowls left strewn about, spoons and cups sitting on tables, chairs out of order and food splattered all over the floor. While it is never my mess, it is always my cleanup. During a normal shift I find the clothes and gadgets I’ve already cleaned up and put away pulled off their shelves and thrown around the room. I cannot count the number of times I have rolled up my sleeves to clean up some of the nastiest things I’ve encountered.
I would not trade any of it.
Alex is 6, loves “Toy Story,” and has Down syndrome. I am his nanny. While all these “negatives” test my patience and make me question my sanity, I have come to find that the numerous positives make up for it.
During my regular nanny’s duties I also work with Alex on number, letter and color recognition. The joy on his face when he witnesses my extreme excitement at his progress is enough to make up for all the defiance in the world.
Alex is non-verbal for the most part, so it’s hard to communicate and understand what he wants (unless he’s telling you no). However, with my elation upon hearing him attempt to say my name for the first time, I am sure an outsider would have thought I was watching my own child win an Olympic gold medal.
Academic achievement aside, Alex is also tremendously mischievous. One day, while helping his sister with her homework, Alex managed to get into the high-grade purple icing dye that was left on the counter. As soon as he realized it was on his hand he screeched and wiped the dye on his shirt. When it did not come off of his shirt he did the only logical thing and wiped the rest of the dye through his hair. After he saw the shock on my face and I began to scold him for getting into the dye, he looked me dead in the eye and giggled. I put him in the bath and spent 20 minutes scrubbing his blond hair to remove the purple splotches. The entire time he was laughing.
Working with a special needs child has taught me patience, understanding and joy. Alex is excited and bubbly every time he sees me; he is joyful about the smallest things and reminds me that life does not have to be quite as serious as I think it is. All those “negatives”? You can take them with a grain of salt. I do.
