Our day starts with kids who are excited to go to their different schools. They really look forward to the ride in the morning. Everyone has his or her reserved spot where they sit in the bus every day.
It is always a pleasure to pick them up in the afternoons because then they always have stories to tell about the day’s events. The little ones usually ask a lot of questions. It is nice to get down to their level a little bit and answer their innocent questions as it would make sense to them. One day a girl very excitedly opened her bag and showed me her book: ”Oom look, look I got a seven for Maths today!”
I sometimes feel like a father who can be very proud of his children. There is a girl who even made the Western Province team in athletics, and she was very proud of herself for this great milestone. She was so proud of her medals and the attention of the other children was focused on her all the time. The excitement lasted for weeks and had a very positive effect on the younger children.
There is one little girl who doesn’t allow anyone to touch her hair, every little hair must be in place; she immediately complains when a friend touches her hair. And for the rest, it is fun to tease her about it – and so each has his or her own unique personality.
All I can do is to remind them how special each of them is. I love telling them stories that make them realize how everything in life can affect your future, how to respect yourself and your friends and how to always stay positive.
Sometimes they are hyperactive and then one must think of a plan to get them a little calmer again. It is always a good idea to get them singing at times like these. When the radio is turned back on, everyone has a request for the number they want to hear, and it can sometimes be very funny. Every day’s experience is different, but it is good to know that they are always happy, that they adapt to their circumstances and that they participate in the conversations and jokes.