This summer I worked at an art camp with kids as young as preschool and as old as a sophomore in high school. While I had so much fun working there, I learned some tricks that helped me take care of them! We all know kids can be really fun, but they can also be a huge handful, so I listed some stuff that could help you out the next time you're babysitting, working at a summer camp or just hangin' out with a kid.
1. Try to use names a lot
I had up to 50 kids at a time to care for, and that's a lot of names. When you first meet them, try to use their names every time you talk to them. This will help you memorize their names and make them feel like you know them.
2. Use gender neutral terms
It's important not to split kids by gender or force your perception of their gender onto them. I would call kids buddy or friend to keep it open. And if I was talking to a group of kids I would call them friends. Find gender neutral terms that work for you!
3. Don't let them hit or climb on you
Okay, so I'm a small person (four-foot-eleven and a half inches, to be exact) and I would not be able to get up if kids tackled or climbed on me, but I couldn't let them know that. I also value my personal space a lot. Not letting kids climb on me or hit me set a precedence for the entire camp — if you let them hit you or climb on you once, they will always think it's okay. Furthermore, stressing the importance of consent and respect teaches them an even more important lesson for the future.
4. If they say something problematic, tell them.
Kids soak in everything they hear and see so they think the stereotypes and sexism they see on TV and maybe in their own lives are the way it is. If they say something problematic don't just brush it off and say "Oh, they're just kids." Question why they think that and give them real life examples of why what they said is not true. It's important to have the conversation with them rather than talk at them to make sure they understand.
5. Treat them equally
This is where I mention the Popsicle fiasco. During lunch I found out that a group of my kids was having what they called "A Rock Fight." It's like a snowball fight for the summer. Anyway one of the kids got hit in the lip and was crying pretty bad so I gave him a Popsicle to ice his lip. When all the other kids found out they spent the rest of the week trying to get hurt so they could have a Popsicle. One kid told me, "I got hit in the balls, can I have a Popsicle?" So the last lesson this week is try to treat them as equally as possible to avoid trouble — or if you have to give one kid a Popsicle, don't let the rest know.
