Working with children is such a rewarding experience. Yes, it can be difficult and stressful at times, but it really does teach you so many valuable life lessons. Whether you babysit, work at a daycare, or any type of job involving children, here are some things you will most likely experience.
1. Kids have drama in their lives too.
I've never realized how stressful some of the nine-year old's lives are who I work with. Between who's asking who to the fifth-grade dance, who's talking about who behind their back, and who isn't letting Mikey play with them at recess, they experience a lot of drama too.
2. No matter how "fair" you try to make it, it will never be fair.
Even if you put the same amount of kids on each time, with an even amount of boys and girls, it still won't be fair. Allie scored a goal? She cheated. Team A has more points than Team B? Someone messed up keeping score. No matter what the activity is kids will find a way to complain about it. I don't know how gym teachers or coaches do it!
3. Third-grade math is actually really freaking hard.
You never realize how dumb you are until a third grader asks for help on their homework and you have no idea how to do it. I had a girl ask me for help with her long division, and when I tried to explain it to her the way I learned it, she started showing me how she learned it using a diagram and circles. Last time I checked, there were no circles in Division.
4. If they say "Mommy let's me do it", 90 percent of the time, Mommy does not.
All the time, kids will try and tell you, "I'm allowed to do this when my mom is here", or "We do this at recess all the time", when in reality, they are not. If something seems suspicious, don't let them do it. Then, be sure to find out if they really are allowed to do it when their parent comes home.
5. Always trust your gut instinct.
I cannot stress this enough. If you feel that something the child is doing isn't right, but don't have a specific reason to think so, trust your gut anyway. The majority of the time, that instinct is right.
6. Being an adult really sucks
Even though many kids do have hard lives too, being around them really makes you miss your childhood. They're all so innocent and don't have to worry about bills or college or working.
7. It makes you realize you never want to work in a career where you're only around adults
Many people ask me why I'd want to work in a job when I'm around kids all day. I wonder how they want to work in a job with only adults! Although being around a few adults during my lunch breaks is always nice, in general, adults cause too much drama. Kids make life so much more interesting.
8. There is never a dull moment.
No matter what time of day it is, someone is picking on someone, throwing things at someone, falling off the slide, crying, etc. It's always something.
9. You learn how to react quickly to situations.
I've always been bad at trying to come up with quick solutions, but my job has forced me to become good at it. Whether it's a child complaining that they don't feel well, that someone is bothering them, or that they got hurt, you need to be able to solve the problem quickly.
10. You get to re-experience parts of your childhood.
By learning which toys are hot this season, which Youtubers are big right now, and playing new games and coloring, you get to feel like a child all over again.
Overall working with kids is such a great experience. Some people want nothing to do with them, but for others, you can't picture having any other kind of job. You know you're on the right path when you love what you do, even when it can become stressful.
