If I can teach an entire semester really pregnant, I can do anything. And I can endure any comment. For example:
"Ms. Jackson, I love your shirt. It's so pretty, and it makes you look HUGE."
How does one respond to such a comment? It's definitely a lesson in holding my tongue and using some tact...
I also tend to feel like a circus exhibit or a science project, as I have my students and random ones popping in to look at me and to try to feel my tummy. Although it's not as awkward as I thought it would be, I still have some random moments of panic when I feel like if anyone else tries to touch me, I might lose my mind.
I was trying to remember if I ever had a pregnant teacher when I was in school, and the answer is NO. How might I have reacted? With tons of questions? With casual indifference? With delight when she left for maternity leave?
Yesterday I taught my girls to diagram participles, on a curved line, and they said, "LOOK! It's a pregnant tummy!!! Ooooooh, Ms. Jackson. We love diagramming these!" It got even better when we diagrammed participles as predicate adjectives, which are the curved lines on a little stand with two legs. Imagine their delight... "Ms. Jackson - it's YOU! A big pregnant tummy on two skinny legs!"
At least I got a nice compliment on my legs?
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