Little Atelier Turns 10 - And One Question I’ll Never Forget

Little Atelier is turning 10 this year. Looking back, there have been so many meaningful connections and precious moments. But, there’s one encounter I always come back to —one that’s stayed with me for years.

It was around our third year, I think. A mother came in for a school tour for enrolling her first child. We had a pleasant conversation, and right at the end, she hesitated for a moment and asked :

“Are you happy doing this work?”

No one had ever asked me that before. It wasn’t about the curriculum or how we run the school. It was so simple and so personal — a question I hadn’t even asked myself at the time. And honestly, I haven’t been asked it since. But it stuck with me. And even now, years later, I still think about it.

Am I happy in this work? What is it like to spend each day with children as my “co-workers”?

The answer back then was yes. And today, it’s still a strong yes. I truly find a lot of joy and meaning in what I do. Of course, it doesn’t just happen on its own—I try hard to protect that happiness and stay grounded. Because when I feel calm and steady, I believe the children feel it too. And so do my fellow teachers.

So, what makes me happy in this work?

There are so many things, but one that stands out is this : seeing children open themselves to learning, watching them slowly build friendships and social skills, and being there as they meet their limits and gently push past them.

In those moments, I sometimes see a reflection of myself. Sometimes, I’m reminded of when my own children were little. Sometimes, I imagine what the people I love might have been like as children. To feel all that —at work, every day—how could that not be happiness? :) I feel lucky to call this my work. Lucky to keep learning through each new year, and through every new child and family I meet. More than anything, I just feel thankful, and that question still echoes in me.