…with the sound of music…

Uh hum…sorry about that. It really is a glorious day that causes me to break out in song, but that’s not what precipitated this short burst of Rogers and Hammerstein. Lexi and I walk by her music teacher every morning on the way to school. He helps with the parking traffic in the morning. But this morning he wasn’t there, and my five-year-old noticed.

“Mommy, where’s Mr. Music [I changed his name to protect his privacy]?”

I don’t know, Lexi.

“The air conditioner in his room was out yesterday. Do you think maybe he’s fixing it right now because it’s Wednesday and it’s music day and we just have to have music time!”

Now, I also loved music as a child so I can understand her distress at the notion of not having music, but based on yesterday’s experience, I’m thinking it has less to do with music than it does her missing a certain music teacher. As we walked by him yesterday, Lexi covered her mouth and giggled, “Don’t you think Mr. Music is just so cute?” She regretted saying out loud because then she denied having said it. Immediately. She denied it all day long even though I told her it was alright to have a crush on her music teacher.

This morning she asked whether I had ever had a crush on my music teacher when I was a kid. It wasn’t my music teacher. I had a big, fat crush on my P.E. coach. I remember the way he used to just make me smile, but in hindsight, he never singled me out. I just liked his outlook on life and how he genuinely enjoyed being a P.E. coach. Children can tell when a person enjoys their work. Lexi mentions specific substitute teachers that she’d rather have because they’re not as grumpy as other substitute teachers. It just reminded me of one more way in which our children observe the grown ups around them and what an impact each individual has. I am thankful that Mr. Music creates that impact on Lexi.

So in my maturity, I started singing, “Lexi and Mr. Music, sitting on a tree…” Oh, she was way upset about that and reprimanded me that it is never nice to tease and it hurts her feelings. Sorry, sweetie.

“Mommy, I only like it when boys tease me.”

Oh, brother…

Did you have a crush on any of your teachers when you were a kid?