I turned down a teaching position and became the school lunch lady instead. I love it.

• Substitute teacher Sarah Fiacco, turned down a permanent role because she hated disciplining the kids.
• She was nervous about taking a job in the school cafeteria instead, as it seemed like a step-down.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Fiacco. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I was a couple of weeks into my new job in the school cafeteria when a first-grader named Olivia approached me with a note.

"Mrs Fiacco, I'd just want you to have this," she said, pressing the letter into my hand. She'd simply written, "Thank you for the lunch."

I had to step away for a moment because it made me emotional. The note was so special and sweet. It felt like a prize — confirmation that I'd done the right thing by turning down a job as a teacher and becoming a lunch lady.

"What you're doing is important," I thought. "I'm going to stick with this."

I started to substitute teach at my kids' school in August 2023, soon after our family relocated to Prattville, Alabama, from Virginia, with my husband's job in the US Air Force.

Our financial situation meant we were lucky I didn't need to work, but I thought it would be nice to give back to the community and keep myself busy.

I'm not a disciplinarian

I was pleased last Spring when the school asked if I wanted a permanent position. However, I didn't accept. You need to be fully on board when you're working with children, and my heart just wasn't there.

The problem for me was the discipline. I mostly worked in the middle school, and as we all know, middle school is tough. When you're a substitute, the kids will walk over you if they can.

But, while I understand they need to learn how to behave themselves, I'm not the right person to enforce it. I couldn't raise my voice if the class got a little out of hand.

I'm soft-spoken. I won't yell at the students. It's not my personality.

A little black button was on the wall to push if you needed somebody to come, such as the principal or the counselor.

People would say, "Just push the button." But I couldn't. It felt like a panic button, and I didn't want to resort to it. So, I'd take names and say, "You know, I'm going to speak to your teacher about you since you're not listening to me."

I often sat at my desk, thinking, "I'm so overwhelmed." I talked to the administration about the issue, but they said the kids loved me and didn't want me to leave.

I felt sad to decline the permanent job. It took a lot of soul-searching. I wanted to stay involved in the school, particularly because my children — Kinsley, 16; Carter, 14; Kason, 10; and 6-year-old Kendall — attended.

However, the school asked if I'd be interested in another opportunity as a food service associate. I would work in the cafeteria, making and serving lunches.

I'm an avid foodie and baker. Before we moved to Alabama, I ran a luxury macaron company out of my kitchen, so I had the right kind of experience. I saw it as an opportunity to be with the kids and foster relationships that I'd started to develop as a substitute.

A lunch lady wasn't my idea of a dream job

It was attractive to be able to see the children's faces and smiles and encourage them without having to discipline them. I wanted to be there for them when they were outside class and more relaxed.

Still, I was hesitant. It was a pride thing. "You're going to be a cafeteria lady?" I thought. "Really?" It wasn't something I'd have described as a "dream job."

I ran a successful business, but there I was, about to transition to serving food and mopping floors. It felt like a step down.

But, at 40, I knew I had to fight those intrusive thoughts when we compare ourselves to others and think, "This isn't good enough," and "I need to meet some sort of standard." It's better to think about what goodness might come from your opportunity.

So I took the job and ran with it. My hours are 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and I'm always on my feet. There's a lot more manual labor than I'd anticipated. I'm doing food prep, washing the dishes, serving in the food line or working the cash register.

But it's just so fulfilling. It's been a reward. My favorite time of day is serving the meals to the kids. We have to move them through the line quickly, but I'll take time to ask them how their day is going. It makes such a big difference if I just bring a little bit of light to them — a smile on their face. I want them to know I'm there for them more than just putting food on their plate.

They'll look up and say, "Thank you for being here." When Olivia gave me her beautiful thank you note, it made me feel worthwhile and seen.

My assumptions about cafeteria work were wrong

I placed it on my mirror. Every day, when I pick out my outfit, it reminds me why I do this job.

As for my own kids, they love me still being in their school. They'll find me if they need me. They'll give me a hug and say, "Hi, Mom, we're so proud of you.'"

Like me, they know I was very wrong to feel embarrassed about becoming a lunch lady. It's the perfect fit.

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