Many people ask me why I chose the path I did, why I decided that working with kids would be something I’d consider doing for the remainder of maybe not my whole life but at least for the time being. A lot of people have told me that I’m crazy for doing it, wondering what would ever possess me to even set foot in a structured program facility such as that with children ranging from first grade to twelfth. The answer is simple really, to change their lives for the better.
1. It's so rewarding.
I’ve never had any job in my life that makes me feel like this job does. No matter what’s going on in my life I drop it at the door and I forget it all. There’s something so awesome about being able to bring a smile to a child’s face when they’re having a bad day, and it works the same way if I’m having a bad day. I can’t not smile when I play freeze dance, or parachute, or yeehaw. It’s physically impossible.
2. They’re so funny and constantly being silly.
They’re constantly recreating the latest vines and doing the latest dance moves, and whether they can do them accurately or not, they’ll still try. And even when you can’t “Juju on the beat” they’ll still accept you and just tell you, “you can just dab, that’s still cool.”
3. They tell it like it is.
They’ll always tell you the truth. Do you want an honest opinion? Ask a kid, they aren’t lying when they tell you that the hat you’re wearing makes you look stupid.
4. They really trust you.
They’re going to tell you about everything that goes on in their lives once you become close enough. You’ll learn all about their daily school drama and happenings, their boyfriends/their girlfriends, their problems with others, their problems with teachers or anything really. You’ll learn more about these kids than you know about yourself really.
5. They always want you there
They don’t think that your bond and your relationship stops when you leave the building. There will come a time where they want you at their sixth grade graduation because they want you to see what they’ve accomplished, they want you to spend your only day off with them at a basketball game or a football game, they just want nothing more than your endless support.
6. Being an adult is actually terrible.
When it comes to being an adult there is a lot of responsibility and working all the time and not a lot of sleep involved. They make me forget about all of the responsibilities and craziness that comes along with being an adult. They always talk about how they want to grow up and how being their age is so hard but I always tell them the same thing. “Don’t wish your life away, it’s the best when you’re young.” And of course most of them look at me like I’m crazy but there are a few that actually listen.
7. Reliving your childhood.
When it comes to working with kids, you can’t actually be an adult (which I think is why I’ve stuck it out for a little while with these kiddos), mentally to work with kids you have to be an eight year old because if you’re not I don’t think you’d be able to put yourself in their shoes and truly understand them. You won't truly understand why they're crying over their broken lego creation or the fact that they didn't get picked for their friend's team in soccer unless you can truly relate. Relay the situation back to yourself when you were 8, and the feeling of what wanting to be included and convey that to your kids.
8. They all have their own story, and you get to read it.
No two children are alike and they all have their own story and their own background. Most kids are very shy at first, but the best stories come from those who are afraid to tell them at first. No matter how much time you spend at your organization, you see children from the minute you begin your time to the end and the kids that you knew at the beginning are not the same ones you know at the end. They’re very different. They’ve grown up and whether you’d like to think it or not, you have too. They’ve changed their hair style, clothing style, and their work ethic has gotten better. You watch the kids grow up and it’s up to you to push them in the right direction.
It's true what they say, that it takes a special person to be able to work with kids. To be able to watch them grow up while you yourself become older and wiser based on your experiences with them. It may not be the easiest job of your life, but I consider it one of the luckiest things to have ever happened to me.
