Finger paints vs the Red Swingline

The difference between work in child care, and work in an office

Board room or classroom?

Every once in a while I look back at my first job - an administrator in a day care center. I remember those days pretty well, and I remember taking the big plunge, leaving the industry to sell out and work for Big Brother. I used to pass this one office building on my way to the day care, often laughing at the skirts and suits hurrying to their pens to do their daily chores. I, on the other hand, was en route to finger painting, giggles, and playing outside with little kids who loved it when I wore pigtails to work. Wouldn't you know it, karma kicked me in the hind end and I became one of the skirts and suits sent to pasture in the pen to do daily chores in that.very.building. Thank goodness they went business casual before I started.

"The ratio of people to cake is too big"

I am not really much into following the herd, despite being Virgo, first born, and Type A. Yes, I like to follow rules, but, most of the time the rules become just guidelines and I try to find the loopholes and see how far I can push the limits. I went to Big Brother and still wore my pigtails, often wore neck ties (hey, it was the 90's, girls wearing ties was 'edgy'), and joked with upper managers (you said HI to HIM? OMG!). But I arrived and left on time and did the work asked of me. See, I follow rules. Sometimes.

So, 17 years later, I look back and recall those days of wiping noses and butts, enforcing teaching manners, and enforcing teaching personal space. It got me thinking, what is different about life in a pen cube, vs working in a classroom with the single digit set? I tried to make a list.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
....still thinking....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Got one! They don't appreciate my Froot Loops necklaces like the kids did.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Guess it's a shorter list than I thought.