So, you work with children? Congratulations, you have one of the most exciting jobs in the world! You get to straddle the line of being a kid yourself and being the adult that makes sure that the actual children don't kill each other. You get paid to do what most people only dream of, but it's not always all fun and games. Whether you're a babysitter, day care worker, nanny, or camp counselor, here are some things you know are true when you spend all day around kids.
1. Games of pretend can get pretty intense.
How often do you get to pretend to be someone else and forget about all of your real problems? So when you get the chance, go all out. You know the kids are going to. If you're assigned the role of "evil older sister that the parents don't like," rock that part like you're in the running for an Oscar.
2. Sometimes you have to be bad cop.
No one wants to be the one enforcing the rules. But I'd rather have a child be mad at me for saying they can't climb up the slide than rush them to the hospital. Their parents will thank you too.
3. You have a sixth sense for when someone's about to get hurt.
You can hear rocks being thrown from a mile away and you know a child is standing on top of the table without turning around. Now you better hope you're fast enough to stop them before they injure themselves.
4. Math is not what it used to be.
I don't know what all these methods are and why they can't just add two plus two like we did in the good old days, but more often than not you go to help them with their homework and have no idea what's going on.
5. Songs will be stuck in your head for days.
You know all of the lyrics to popular kids' songs whether you want to or not. I spent years trying to avoid "Frozen" just so I didn't have to hear "Let it Go" for the four millionth time. Don't get excited the second they stop singing that -- it just means they found a new song to obsess over.
6. Your immune system will soon be in tip-top shape.
Kids have this nice habit of not covering their mouth. You were sick quite often at first, but you adjusted and have the best immune system out of all of your friends.
7. You're a part-time referee.
Someone has to step in when Johnny says that it was a head shot in dodgeball but Luke says it wasn't. Dodgeball is very serious.
8. A part-time nurse.
Remember that time you told little Susie not to climb up the slide? Well, she fell off and you get to take care of her. If someone has a bloody nose or is throwing up, that becomes your responsibility too. You'll be ready for the hospital life in no time.
9. And a part-time parent.
When these kids are in your care, their parents aren't around. So it's your responsibility to tell them that they can't just call someone a stupid butt face because they have to pay rent in Monopoly.
10. But most of all, you're their role model.
It's really cool to a six-year-old to hang out with a teenager or young adult. Whatever you do, they'll want to do too. So clean up your vocabulary and start setting some good examples.
11. Sometimes you want to pull your hair out.
You may get a string of kids following you around mimicking you at all hours of the day, and you can't hear yourself think. There are only so many times you can tell them to stop before you feel like you're going to lose your mind.
12. But you can't imagine doing anything else.
Because all of the annoyances are little things. You have the greatest job in the world. You get to play with kids all day long, and work with people whose biggest worry is deciding who's going to be it during tag. You may have to repeat certain things over and over, but it pales in comparison to getting paid for having fun all day long. There's nothing else you would rather do.
