Child labor -- I'm a fan.

This afternoon I recruited a new office assistant: a seven year-old Tunisian girl who really likes to staple papers together! Saudi primary schools haven't yet started, and so one of the math instructors has to bring her daughter in to work since the older siblings are now in school and cannot look after S. I like having S around the office because: 1) she helps me collate and staple my handouts for class, 2) she is good at helping me put away my things for the day, 3) she's gives good advice on which visual images I should use from Google images, and 4) she helps feed my maternal yearnings. I thought that after a summer of experiencing obnoxious children that I had been cured of any maternal drive I developed last year -- not true. I am grateful that S came into my life today. It's been a stressful two weeks now that the semester is back in full swing. While eating pretend raspberries and ice cream with her today, I was able to let go of all the stresses of work and just enjoy being a 7 year-old for a little bit. Anything is possible when playing games of pretend. I look forward to tomorrow's afternoon of endless possibilities and simple pleasures.