Sometimes I forget just how much they don't like change. And then, a second grader, who goes through three pencils in an hour and a half because he doesn't realize when they've fallen on the floor and can't remember whether or not he put socks on this morning, comes running up for a hug and pulls away afterwards with the phrase, "Where did you get your new bracelet?"
Or, I wear a different than normal necklace to school and end up taking it off my neck on the playground so that curious little fingers can touch it and make sure that they know what it really is. Because, heaven forbid they go to play until they have decided.
I've always kind of joked that kids like me because nothing about me ever changes - clothing, hair, jewelry, shoes, response to their shenanigans. As the school year draws to a close and already hypervigilant kids are on higher than ever alert, I'm starting to think that might be more true than I would have guessed.
(I had a couple of panic stricken 5th grade boys the other day, because my hair was in a braid instead of a ponytail, and, even though I was wearing the exact same clothes they has seen me wear at least once a week for the last five months, from the back, they couldn't tell if it was actually me. As if someone else would take my clothes and come stand in my spot to pick them up for reading group...
But, these are the same boys who spotted me at their choir concert even though I was across the gym and up two sets of bleachers in a sea of faces. Typically they are ninja status in their Ms. Jessica spotting ability, so they found not being able to instantly identify me more than a little disconcerting.)
Add in the behaviors that speak - sometimes very loudly - when they don't have the words to get it across, and... Nope. They are not fans of change.
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