For a long time, I thought teaching would be the best thing I could do with my life. I thought kids were so fun and so easy to work with. For the past two summers, though, I've worked with kids in a close capacity, and seeing them for hours on end made me realize the good and the bad of overseeing them. Here are some pros and cons to teaching children or taking care of them.
Pro: Kids can talk about anything
Once you get them going on something they're passionate about, it's so fun to listen to them.
Con: They can be very messy
Kids seem to thrive on chaos and if you ever put paint in front of them, you can bet they're going to stick their whole hand in it.
Pro: Children will compliment you anytime they want time, and it always feels sincere
Once, a girl asked me if I was wearing makeup because I looked so beautiful. My heart was melting.
Con: They can also point out worst feature or insecurity and because they're usually honest, it's not something you want to hear often
I've had a lot of kids point out my acne or my sweat and it's hard not to take it too personally.
Pro: Kids are very, very energetic
Having them go into a sports class or dance class usually results in some entertaining moves.
Con: They're a little too energetic, so getting them to focus on something important is very difficult
Pro: Kids can be very sweet
If you are ever playing with them with toys, they'll usually offer toys to play with or may drag you around because they want you to stay with them.
Con: Although they are sometimes giving, children can also be very possessive, to the point where you can't take something away from them without them getting extremely upset
This also means they like taking things from other kids.
Con: All kids throw some kind of tantrum, whether it's pouting in the corner and whining or screaming at the top of their lungs and thrashing around
Handling those situations takes a lot of patience as well as a stern disposition.
Con: They'll probably get you sick
And then you won't be able to go back to work until you're done being sick because you don't want to get another child sick.
Con: You'll feel like the worst person in the world when you have to discipline them because you know their heart is breaking
Con: You may get puked on one day and if you're like me, feel like you're going to puke as well
If you're too grossed out by bodily fluids and expulsions, working with kids will not be for you at all because there are other more common things besides vomit that you may have to handle.
Pro: Every con on this list is worth knowing that these children will grow up to be wonderful adults who know how to be kind and sharing, optimistic and cheerful, as long as I take the time to teach them to be that way
I think every other person who works with children understands that the work put into taking care of every child is worth seeing them grow up into awesome human beings.
