How to tell my students that I'm pregnant?

I told my kids the baby news this morning.  It was so so sweet and I'm sure I will never forget it.  I wanted to do something special instead of just blindsiding them with the information so I looked around and found a book called Our Teacher's Having a Baby by Eve Bunting.  Thank goodness I waited and didn't read it in the library.  Page one and I was crying.  And that was at home in my kitchen while I waited for my 2nd lunch to cook!

If you ever find yourself pregnant while teaching, you must read this book.  It was great.  Just be warned that you might tear up if you're anything like me.  {don't fight it, just grab a tissue.}  The kids in the story share their feelings, draw pictures for the baby, suggest names for the teacher and put stickers on her big belly...bless!  It's so cute.  I used it in a mini lesson on making connections.  After they shared their self-to-text connections, I shared mine!  It took a few minutes to sink in, but then they were super excited!!!  :)

{Sorry it's so shaky...I was nervous and excited and trying not to cry all at the same time!!}

I knew my kids would need a follow-up so I created a little packet.  The pages print in pink or blue or you can just print it in black & white if you don't know!

We only did the 1st page today {drawing my picture and what the baby will look like}.

{still in my heels with lots of hair bows}

{love the little baby in my see-through belly}

{my shirt is still regular size, my stomach just sticks out the sides!}

And the sweet notes to the baby!!

{You mom loves you.  Your mom is going to teach you.}

{I hope you can be in this class.}

{I love your mom because she is being nice to me.}

Eve Bunting did a fabulous job capturing honest child feelings in the book as they talk about being scared to have a substitute who isn't "their" teacher, being sad that their teacher isn't coming back for a while and the excitement of a new baby in general.  I also included some titles that you can use to make an "I feel..." anchor chart and an anchor chart for questions.  I suggest leaving them up for at least a few days because the questions have been coming non-stop!

Since I'm not due until September these kids will already be in 1st grade by the time the baby comes but I plan to read it all over again in August before I go out on my maternity leave.  The beauty of the download {besides being free} is that you can use it all at once or spread it out.  I'm saving the gender graph for when I go to that appointment - it'll be something great for the person covering my room to do while I'm at the doctor! - and will save voting on a name until the end of the year.  It's meant to be fun and I hope you'll share it with any of your teacher friends who are sporting baby bumps covered in stickers!  ;)