getting attached

So after a few weeks of working with these kids, I am getting pretty attached to them, and hopefully they to me as well. It really makes me wonder, when teaching children in an academic setting, how attached should you get? How much is too much? Is it really necessary?

Personally I think a relationship is one of the most important elements of teaching children, especially if you consider yourself a good example. However, I think promoting independence in an academic setting is very important. If you do everything for the child, or the child because too emotionally dependent on you, this is unhealthy and may cause over dependence. I think a perfect balance must be met, to a certain degree you are friends with the children, but first and foremost you are an example and a teacher. It is a job, a function.

However, obviously this is not a clear line. These kids are great, and cute might I add. It's hard to draw a line, it's hard to say no and be the bad guy. I think experience is the only thing that can teach a teacher how much friend and how much mediator and how much mentor they should be.