Think twice before getting sick..

I was absent from work 2 days in a row because of the flu and sore throat (which has resulted in loosing my voice). The first day was quite enjoyable coz I get to do nothing and watch movies the whole day, the second day has gotten into into my nerves as I was getting bored of doing nothing and I started missing my students. So, although I haven't quite feel healthy, I went to work the next day thinking that it was only a day coz the next day will be the start of weekend anyway.

I happily got to work in the morning, only to find my 9 students out of 15 present at school, the others were absent. Mind you, my class has always been famous for the almost complete absent everyday. Be it Ramadhan celebration (where they should be absent coz there's no nanny), or rainy season, or the flu season. They are still going to be present at school, not wanting to be absent. I've even got a few report from parents saying their kids wanted to go to bed early coz they want tomorrow to come early so they can go to school. When I was a that age, my mom had to struggle getting me to school every morning!!

Anyway, I thought most of my students were getting the flu too because everybody seemed to be getting it. When it was time to dismiss them, some of their parents came and pick them up and I chatted with them. They told me that their child - who has been present for the 2 days I was absent - reported to their parents that they doesn't want to go to school anymore if I'm not there and that they don't like the substitute teacher. And that was followed by a long list by their children on why they didn't like the substitute teacher.

Most of the parents called the school up in the morning to check if I'll be teaching today in class and if I'm not they're not going to bother sending their child. There's also a parent who brought me some chinese medicine and some tea to help me with my sore throat coz her son refuse to go in the school after knowing I was absent. Jokingly, she said 'You better don't get sick anymore now that I gave you the medicine, my son won't come to school if you're not here!!!'. Turns out her son came to school for the whole 2 days and after getting to the gate, he asked the gatekeeper if I was there and when he knows I wasn't he cried to his mom telling her he wants to go home.

I have also heard from a parent that their child does not want to move into higher level if it means they will have different teacher, and the child actually used the word 'Doesn't want to go to school anymore'. There's actually some parents who've asked me to move and teach their class as their child move every year.

F.Y.I.. lets not forget to keep in mind that my students are mostly 3 year olds. I don't remember being that good in complaining when I was that age. *sigh*