The Great Coffee Crisis
Surviving Preschool One Cup at a Time

Every preschool has that sacred space; the teacher’s lounge. It’s not glamorous. It’s small, overstuffed, and perpetually smells like coffee, dry erase markers, and determination. But to us, it’s everything.

One unforgettable morning, tragedy struck, our beloved coffee maker sputtered its last drop. There was an audible silence, followed by the kind of despair you only see in dramatic soap operas. Someone whispered, “We’re not going to make it.”

Within minutes, a rescue mission was launched. A brave teacher grabbed her purse, yelled, “I’m going to Starbucks!” and ran out like a soldier heading into battle. When she returned 20 minutes later with a tray of steaming cups, we greeted her like a hero returning from war.

It wasn’t just about caffeine. It was about community. That cramped little room filled with mismatched mugs and inspirational quotes pinned to the walls was our confessional, our comedy club, our therapy office.

Between sips of lukewarm coffee and bites of reheated lunch, we shared everything – stories about students, triumphs, tears, and the occasional existential crisis over whether glitter counts as a food group (it doesn’t, but we’ve seen worse).

Coffee time wasn’t just a break, it was a reset button. A chance to laugh about the chaos, to remember why we do what we do, and to lean on each other when the days felt impossibly long.

I remember one afternoon when we sat, heads resting on our hands, defeated after a particularly messy finger-paint day. One teacher looked up and said, “You know what? They learned color mixing today. That’s science.” We all burst out laughing because that’s the truth. Amid the madness, learning happens, love happens, and magic happens, usually when you least expect it.

Teaching preschool is equal parts comedy and chaos, but it’s also a calling. And caffeine is the unsung hero of that calling. There’s something sacred about those moments before the day starts when the classroom is quiet, the coffee is hot, and for just a few precious minutes, you can breathe. Then the door opens, and little feet come running in, shouting your name, ready to fill the day with energy, curiosity, and life.

That’s when you realize: no amount of caffeine can prepare you for the magic that’s about to happen. And that’s okay because even without it, these kids fuel your heart in ways coffee never could.