Over the years, I have worked with kids at church, at different homes as a babysitter, as a substitute and at summer camps as a group leader, snack lady or field trip leader. I have gone into each of these roles hoping to bring joy and hope to every child I have met. While I am sure that was the case many times, I can confidently say that I have learned many valuable lessons working with kids. I have learned about life, about myself and about how important it is to invest in the younger generations. I'm still young, but I am reminded daily how much the children around me desperately need me to love them fiercely and believe in them. At the same time, I am reminded just how much I need them to teach me how to love and live.
Of the many joys I have experienced working with little kids, one of the most beautiful and sometimes hysterical joys that I have encountered is their honesty. Kids will tell you exactly what they want and think. They aren't worried about offending someone or trying to mask how they feel in order to appear like they have it all together. They are quick to compliment and tell you they love you. Their hearts are on their sleeves, revealing their happiness or frustrations. They seek comfort when they need it. As I write this, I smile to myself and sigh as I think about all the things that kids have asked me and told me. One child assumed I had a husband and asked if I ever made snack for him like I did for the kids at camp. Another child told me that she missed her father because he was in jail. Another told me that he wanted to hold my hand and be my walking partner. How precious these little hearts are!
Another attribute I admire about most kids are that they are who they are, no matter where they are or who is there. Whether or not it's a dress up day, some kids will wear their favorite dress or boots. They will rock a baseball cap and neon shorts, while wearing armor made from Styrofoam cups from lunch. They sing or dance around and speak their mind in public, not caring who hears or sees. They admit when they are good at something and when they aren't. They don't mask who they are because they like who they are.
I have been on the receiving end of the unconditional love and simple trust of a child and I am always amazed by it. Children show their love to friends and family through hugs, wanting to hold hands or by saying I love you. They may be sad by the way a friend or adult hurt them, but seconds later they go back to their friend/family and want to play. No matter how many times you may have gotten frustrated or angry with them, they greet you with a smile and long to be loved. Whether they've known you for months or for just a few days, they open up to you and follow your lead. They trust you.
Although I believe that children are created with these beautiful characteristics, I believe that it is the job of older generations to encourage children to continue being authentic and loving. It is our job to model to the kids in our life that being honest, compassionate, forgiving and confident are possible despite the discouragement and negative influences that come from the enemy of life and the broken world we live in.
As a past substitute teacher and current leader at a YMCA summer day camp, I saw and have seen firsthand just how powerful the presence of loving adults can be in the life of a child. As a teacher, I have had the honor of showing kids how to communicate with each other and how to deal with fears or worries they encounter at school. I have seen hope and joy in the eyes of kids who felt listened to or acknowledged for the first time by an adult. I have walked alongside kids trying to skate for the first time, seeing a spark of joy in their eyes as they could balance and skate around. I have been able to affirm the value and hard work of students who struggle in school or in relationships. I have seen a boy who constantly cried thrive and find joy because two older adults took time to be with him and listen to him. As adults, we have the opportunity to raise a generation of kids who look out for others, have confidence in their gifts, forgive quickly, seek peace and will personally attest to the value of having mentors who took time to teach them about life and who affirmed their purpose and worth.
As you think about the youth that you interact with in your daily life, remember that they can teach you so much. They teach us to tell the truth, to love in words and actions, to be confident in who we are, while admitting that we need help every once in a while and to feel all the feels, but forgive and waste no time in bitterness. The kids you love and cherish now will model what love and honesty look like based on how you show it to them today. May we love well. May we seek out kids who need to know they matter and are seen. May we intentionally call out the good and speak life in the lives of the children we see. May our legacy be one of deep care and concern for the lives of those who bring so much light and joy into the world.
