This poem originally appeared in the July/August 1996 issue of Early Childhood News.

The Typical Day
by Tim Bete

It starts in the morning and goes on through the day,
You take care of the children--you teach them, you play,
And all through the hours, from morning till night,
Those twenty-six children--well, they’re quite a sight.

A is for Ashley, who cries when mom leaves,

B is for Bradley, with paint on his sleeves,

C is for Carlos, who acts like a saint,

D is for Darren, an angel he ain’t,

E is for Edy, spilling milk on the floor,

F is for Frank, who always gets bored,

G is for Ginny, who says she feels sick,

H is for Henry, who punches and kicks,

I is for Inez, who bites little Jack,

J is for Jack, who bites Inez back,

K is for Kenzo, who collects pretty shells,

L is for Larry, who loves to ring bells,

M is for Megan, who clings to your leg,

N is for Ned, who likes to tease Meg,

O is for Owen, who won’t share his toys,

P is for Paulette, she’s always a joy,

Q is for Quint, who tends to get muddy,

R is for Ruth, she’s everyone’s buddy,

S is for Steve, who’s afraid of mean bees,

T is for Tiffany, who won’t eat her peas,

U is for Una, who spills juice on her shirt,

V is for Vern, who makes cakes out of dirt,

W is for Whitney, who pretends she’s a dog,

X is for Xavier, like a bump on a log,

Y is for Yolanda, who fell off the swing,

Z is for Zack, he thinks he’s a king.

It’s a typical day and continues all year,
And you love the children--the laughter, the tears,
Because you know the secret that many have lost,
That kids are important and worth any cost.

Tim Bete is editor of Early Childhood News.