Kids live in a constant state of learning, and if adults are living correctly… they are constantly learning as well. People often think: little kids, little problems. However, what seems like a molehill to us is truly a mountain to them. Then there are kids who are placed in unfortunate situations who have issues that even adults do not know how to navigate. Kids are just tiny adults learning the ropes of this thing called life. If we pay attention, there is a lot we can learn from them. These are only a few of the life lessons I have learned from working with kids:

1. Sometimes you just need someone in your corner.

The first day of anything can be really scary if you don’t know anyone. Recently, a new girl came to camp and immediately became friends with another camper. These girls had nothing in common and were calling each other by the wrong names all day, but they didn’t care. They played together and are now both social butterflies. Having the right person in your corner can spark a lifetime of confidence, though it would be nice for them to know your name.

2. Overreactions to little problems are often signs of bigger issues.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have experienced a child throw a tantrum over something that seems silly to me, but later learned of a major crisis they were facing. Often kids do not yet have the skills necessary to cope with problems, so they get upset in ways that make sense to them. The other day one of my campers started sobbing and yelling when we were playing a game that she did not want to play. I explained that sometimes we have to be patient through things that we don’t want to do. I told her that she should try playing because all the kids were having fun. I told her we would take a vote for the next game and suggested that she organize a game during free play. Nothing I said was helping her calm down. As a last resort, I asked her if her distress was really about the game. She told me that she does not think people listen to her, which is a real problem. This happens to adults as well, so next time someone overreacts to a situation, try asking if there is something bigger happening. Shocker, this can even happen to you!

3. There is always room for empathy.

Kids face real issues. Some of their problems are on a smaller scale and some are bigger. For example, I work at a homeless shelter and one day the kids were complaining about the food. These kids deal with more than I can imagine, so I always try to be sensitive to their situations. But to me, this seemed silly… they are eating, so why are they complaining? I laughed and tried to change the subject. One headstrong young lady said to me: “You don’t get it, you don’t live here. You don’t know what it’s like to have to eat this food everyday.” I immediately apologized and told her that she was right and I was being insensitive. While the food is perfectly fine, living in a homeless shelter is not easy. As cliché as it sounds, every person is fighting a tougher battle than they let others believe. We can never be too sensitive.

4. Just say what you feel.

There are never awkward moments with kids because they say exactly what they want to say. They don’t pause to consider any obstacle before they talk. We could probably be a more productive society if we stopped sugarcoating things and said what we feel. Sometimes it can be hurtful, for example: “Ms. Olivia your hair looks kind of wild today” or “Ms. Olivia did you drink your coffee this morning?” (My campers do know me for my numerous cups a day… I can be pretty grumpy without them). But for every not-so-nice comment there are a million sweet ones: “Ms. Olivia you are so funny” or “I’m so glad I’m in your field trip group” or “This summer camp is awesome!” While we should consider other people’s feelings before we speak, sometimes we need to stop beating around the bush.

5. You don’t have to know everything to be smart.

The kids I work with are just as smart (or smarter) than I am, they just have not lived as much life or gone to as much school as I have. Once I realized that I could learn from my campers as much as they can learn from me, my job became much more fun and I felt more accomplished in my position. As college students, we tend to think that uneducated or less educated people are not as smart as we are. This is not always the case. We should never think that because someone is less educated they are less of a person. Honestly, I’ve had more intelligent conversations with kids recently than I have with adults.