When we found out I was pregnant, I was barely five weeks along. I knew that I needed to tell my students (and employer) at some point. It wouldn’t be long before they started asking me questions like “Did you just throw up?” I decided that I would tell them after Christmas break which would begin in a few days.
I always like to do a little something for my students for the holidays throughout the school year. I told one of my theology classes that I had a surprise for them. One student piped up, “You’re pregnant!” Thinking fast I said, “How is that a surprise for you?” Before she could think of a response, I told the class that I was going to make them cupcakes. This of course incited excitement from the class and the thought that I was pregnant was quickly forgotten. Thank goodness!
Christmas break came and went far too quickly and before I knew it, the spring semester had begun. Now I just had to figure out how I would tell my students. I didn’t want to say “Hey guys guess what? I’m pregnant!”
Before Christmas break I had told my Culinary Arts students that we would start the Sandwich Unit when we got back from break. The smell of typical sandwich ingredients sent me swiftly to the bathroom. So this is how I told my Culinary Arts students: “Okay guys we are not going to start the Sandwich unit this week because the smell of sandwich foods make me want to puke.” The students looked at me quizzically for a moment and then several burst out, “You’re pregnant?”
I simply told my theology students, “You know how God said be fruitful and multiply … “ Before I could finish the same student that had thought my “surprise” for them was my pregnancy, shouted, “I knew it, you are pregnant!” At that point the word was out and my art students came to me to verify that I was indeed pregnant.
My students were thrilled that I was pregnant, several offered to baby-sit for free once the baby was born. Nevertheless, their knowledge of my pregnancy didn’t prevent them from asking me, “Did you just throw up?”