I’ve worked with children since my freshman year of high school and now almost five years later, I can tell you it has been one of the best things I have done.
1. Patience
I follow the same routine every day at work: Bring kids upstairs, wash hands for a snack, eat a snack, homework, planned activity, gym or swimming, free time and clean up time. However, there is always a few kids who ask the same few questions every day. “Can I have a snack? I washed my hands in school two hours ago?” “Can I go into the other classroom?” “Can I walk home” “Can I just go to the bathroom without a buddy?”. I answer these questions daily with the same answer “No, because…” yet I still get them every day. You have to be patient because kids just want their immediate needs met. They don’t usually think about the question before they ask.
2. Self-Control
With kids, you need more self control than you can imagine. Just the other day a child thought the could pour the milk all on their own, long story short the milk ended up all over my pants, shirt, and on some of the fruit on the table. At that moment the only logical solution for me was to throw a few F-bombs and walk out but that’s not the way things work. He apologized, I forgave him and although I was frustrated I did not show it. You help kids figure out what was wrong and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
3. Imagination
It’s easy to run out of ideas when making up activities for a group of kids. Let’s face it, they get bored of doing the same thing everyday, this is when your imagination kicks in. Whether it’s making a cloud with shaving cream, water, and food coloring or using leftover boxes to make an obstacle course, you have to find ways to keep them entertained for longer than 10 minutes.
4. Forgiveness
My kids, girls especially, will be down each other's throats one second and then running around the gym playing tag the next. If you learn to forgive the same way they do and forget about the small stuff I can guarantee you will be happier.
5. Love
Children love everyone unconditionally they do not see gender, race, sexuality or age. There are days I go into work upset at the taxi for taking too long or I'm at my friends for whatever silly reason it may be. However, when I walk through the doors of the YMCA and am greeted by 10 kindergartners running up to me with a hug and asking me about my day it makes me truly love them and what I do more and more every day.
This is my actual reaction when I don’t get my daily hugs or when my kids are having an off day:
