READING IS FUN-DAMENTAL:

on tuesday mornings i wake up with the sun so i can tutor elementary school kids in reading before i go to work. I've been paired with a young lady in the 2nd grade who apparently is on a steady diet of liquid crack and cocoa puffs. At 7:30 in the morning she is bouncing off the walls. She's a bright little thing, but craves the spotlight like nobody's business.

This morning when I came in, in a most zombie-like fashion might I add, my normal little hyper one wasn't in. I was told by my coordinator to work with a different girl instead. "Andrea, we need you to work with Keila," she said to me in a semi-pleading, semi-tentative tone. "She's had candy for breakfast."

Apparently I'm the DHKT for the Early Bird Reading program. DHKT, you ask? The Designated Hyper Kid Tutor of course. That's my role. If there's a kid who's running around like a lunatic, has a green tongue from a lollipop at the crack of dawn, like to throw things or run out of the room - I'm your woman. I'm also totally exhausted.

Then I get to work and have to deal with Med Students who are less mature than my 8 year olds. And If I have to read Dora the Explorer one more time. I might scream.