Being a 2-year-old is tough, especially when everyone thinks you’re going through some sort of crisis known as the terrible twos.

However, 18 lucky 2-year-olds in Vicksburg have Lindsey Blackledge to help them through it.

“I love it,” she said. “I enjoy them.”

Blackledge is in her third year of work at First Presbyterian, but she said this is her first year to teach her own class.

“I was taking classes for elementary education, and I decided this might be a good side job while I’m taking online classes to see if I really want to work with children,” she said. “I do. I’m going to continue with elementary ed.”

Through her work at First Presbyterian, Blackledge said she’s definitely earned a new respect for teachers.

“This year has been completely different than the past two years that I’ve been an assistant between different classes,” she said. “This year, having my own class, I have to do the lesson plan for the week, plan out what activities we’re going to do and what we’re going to talk about each month.”

This month, Blacklege and her students are discussing kindness, the rainforests and how to be yourself.

“I thought I would just wing it and go day by day, but it’s not like that,” she said. “Especially with 2-year-olds.”

Throughout the year, Blackledge and others on staff are required to earn continuing education credits.

“Each year I have to have 15 or 16 hours that I have to go to different classes,” she said. “They provide ideas on things like art, music and nutrition.”

Blackledge, a Vicksburg native, graduated from St. Aloysius High School in 2009, and she said she prefers being at a smaller school.

“There’s seven of us here, and I think working with a smaller staff makes it easier than working with an entire school,” she said.

Blackledge said when she started teaching she thought it would just be a one-year gig, but nearly three years later, she still loves what she does.

“We have carpet time, then we usually do an activity or craft, followed by playground time and snack,” she said. “We split the ages with the younger 2s and older 2s, which makes it easier to get stuff done.”

Class is dismissed at 12:15 p.m., Blackledge said, adding the school is only half a day.

“The most rewarding part is the loving from the children and how happy they are at the end of the day,” she said. “They can always make a bad day seem good.”