How old do you think i am?...Don't answer that.

There are countless things I have learned from my classroom experiences thus far. One very consistent matter I have found in every school, in every classroom, with every age; is that children have no filter. At times I wish I had the confidence and certainty they have to say exactly how they feel with no hesitation. Other times I am so grateful for that "think before you speak" mentality that you acquire as you get older.

Ever since I started babysitting around the age of 11, I loved playing the "Guess How Old I Am" game with the young ones. It was much more fun as I got older. They would not only guess my age, but then proceed to ask if I was married, had children, even grandchildren one time. I've been aged anywhere between 15-45; yes, 45. I can only imagine their predictions as I get older.

Here are just a few instances from the classrooms in which students have made me feel old, and even sometimes ancient.

1. Walking down the halls of one of the schools a little boy passed me with a shirt on that read, "CLASS OF 2022". // This needs no explanation.

2. A little girl colored me a picture with my name in the middle. It read "Mrs. McKinney". She looked at me concerned after she handed it to me, "Ms. McKinney, I know you said you're not married, but you need to be. I don't know why you're not already. Surely you will be soon, so I thought I'd go ahead and put MRS". // Thank you for pointing out my singleness and also for proving the stereotype that we education majors only have one goal; to get that MRS degree.

3. While teaching a lesson on commas, I was explaining that we use commas when we write dates. We use them when we write our birthdays. After writing my birthday on the board as an example, the class went silent. I hear a little boy (8 years old) let out a huge gasp as if he's just seen a ghost. I asked him what was wrong. "Ms. McKinney! 1988! That is when my GRANDMOTHER was born!" // Thank you sweetie, but I highly doubt that.

4. Today I got to spend half of the day in my future sister-in-law, Ms. Hood's, classroom. She teaches 5th grade. She told her students that if they were good they would get to have their Christmas party after lunch and maybe even listen to music! (This is big incentive). I asked a little boy if their party was going to be fun. Ms. Hood cut in with "Oh yeah! We're gonna party like its 1999!" The little boy looked at us confused, "I don't know what that party is like, I was born in 1999". // Wow...that old song/saying should probably be updated?

5. This past semester I did my practicum at a school Monday and Wednesday for 3 hours each morning. My last day before Christmas break I received countless questions from the 2nd graders as to why I wasn't coming back. After explaining that I had to go back home to Nashville to where my family lived, I got more than a few raised eyebrows. Why would they understand that I didn't live with my parents? The questions started pouring after that. "Do you miss your mom? Who makes your lunch? Do you live by yourself? Do you live with your boyfriend? Do you have your own car? Do you have your own oven? What about your own TV?" I laughed to myself and responded with, "I live with one of my best friends in a little blue house. We each have our own bed rooms and we have a kitchen, and a living room with a TV. " One little girl raised her hand, "Ms. McKinney, you live with your best friend and you have your own TV! You're the luckiest woman ever, I wanna be old!" // I couldn't help but smile.

So I guess sometimes you just have to learn to look at things from a different perspective. In this case, realizing that maybe getting older isn't that bad after all. I guess I am "the luckiest woman ever". I'll just remember #5 whenever I'm feeling like a little bit of an antique.