One of the realities

of being a preschool teacher is that no matter how close you are to the students in your class, you have to accept that in a few years those students will most likely not remember you at all. It's kind of a sad truth about this job that I love.

I've learned this: For the year you have that child in your class, you will become a very important person to him. You will hear hours of stories about his life at home. You will know the details, from the names of his pets and siblings to his favorite cartoon character. You will comfort him when he is sad or not feeling well. You will help with basic needs like zipping coats and tying shoes. You will read to him, sing to him, dance with him, and laugh with him. You will hold his hand in yours to teach him how to hold scissors and a pencil. You will teach him how to write his name, his alphabet, his numbers. You will be given artwork and homemade jewelry and cards saying "I love you." You will know him.

But then the year will end. She will hug you goodbye at preschool graduation and you will know that things won't ever be the same. She will grow bigger and move on and her time in your classroom will become just a memory. You may run into her over the years, but each time she will be a little more shy around you until one day you will see her and realize that she doesn't remember you. You don't take it personally anymore, but it's still a little sad.

I saw a former student at Target a couple weeks ago and while the mom was happy to see me, the student clearly did not know who I was. This was a student I had a strong relationship with. Three years in the span of this now-seven- year- old's life is pretty much a lifetime and I have faded from all memory. I could tell him so many stories about his little four year old self and he couldn't pick me out of a lineup. It's a weird relationship.

School just started up again for me after a ten month break and I'm getting to know a new group of students- a small class of five boys. These little boys that I had never met before three weeks ago are becoming dear to me already. I love how that happens. Today one of them asked me if I wanted to come to his house to play and yesterday, Covid be damned, one of the boys gave me a good long hand-holding. This is my eleventh class of kids I will bond with over my teaching career.