From a young age I have loved working with children, many of my jobs included working in elementary schools or in a daycare setting. As a college student I am working to earn a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. As winter break approached the job search began and I found myself strolling back through the doors of a former job at a ski resort close to home. There were familiar faces everywhere, family friend’s children, and many of the employees from a few years before when I had worked there. I quickly was caught back up to speed and now it feels like I had never left. When it comes to working with children there is a lot that I have learned, some of which I never thought I would.
- 1)Patience:
If nothing else patience is the most essential thing to working with children. At such a young age children are learning, learning the differences between right and wrong and many other things. Those who teach or nurture children require a high level of patience to effectively help children learn and grow. Someone lacking patience may not educate at the same high level of those with patience. Patience is not only important when working with children but in many other careers and situations in life. Therefore learning the values and acts of patience will help many.
- 2)Distraction:
Childcare is not easy for many children, letting mom or dad leave can be often times the most heartbreaking and difficult time of the day. Tear are a result of parents absence and although there is nothing wrong with children missing their parents it is best for children to have something to occupy their time with until their parents return from work or skiing. Distractions don’t have to be much, reading a book, doing a puzzle or playing in the snow are just enough to help brighten those teary eyes. Often time for me creating a distraction has been a perfect way for me to relate back to my childhood and bring back some of those buried traditions and child play.
- 3)The love of a child:
In childcare it is easy to pick favorites and grow attached to some of the children. Parents come in and reflect on conversations about their teachers while at home and if anyone is anything like me those moments melt my heart. Morning hugs and I love you or missed you becomes natural words from many of the children’s mouths. Children love unconditionally and in the most simple of ways. They are at times brutally honest but on other occasions never fail to make my heart melt or a smile shine across my face.
- 4)Questions, questions, questions:
“Why? Why? Why?” what I am constantly is asked when encouraging a child to do something. All valid questions at times but quite dreadful to the ears at others. As we grow older the questions are harder to ask and often times never make it out of the walls of our brains. In high school teachers always ask any questions and not a single hand goes up but there are certainly questions running through each and every mind. When did children grow up and stop asking questions? Why is there this notion that asking is embarrassing or unnecessary? Children have got it right there are no bad questions, in fact there are only bad answers.
