I never imagined myself to be someone who spends almost 20 hours every week working with children. It has never been something I thought I could do without going insane. They say it takes a special kind of person to work with children and me definitely never thought I could be, or would be, that person. I have, however, only spent one week at work but it is something that is completely different for me. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me how to be young again and think like a child. There are a million different things kids can teach you, and in one week I have already learned so much more than I could've imagined.
I am personally working with several different kids every day of so many ages, as I am in the child care center at my local YMCA. However, these kids reminded me of my very first day just how innocent their minds are. I was asked by the girls why I wasn't married and they were all telling me about how gross boys were. I couldn't help but think about how innocent the mind of a child really is and how quickly things change as we grow up.
Working with kids has pushed me to not only think innocently as a child does, but also remember how important it is to have fun like they do. Kid's spend so much time imagining and dreaming and just living. As we grow up and enter adulthood, we can often times forget to be silly and let loose. To spend time using our imagination and continuing to play. It is just as important when you are a kid as you are when you're an adult.
This job has pushed me out of my comfort zone more than anything else I have ever done. There are moments when the crying doesn't stop and all the kids complain. Days like this have me pulling my hair out and wondering if it's even worth it or if I took on way too much. The next moment the child tells you how fun you are, or that you are his/her, favorite teacher. A few days ago, a little girl cried because she didn't want to leave me. Those are the moments that warm my heart and make me so happy I get the chance to work with these kids.
I still don't know if I'm the kind of person who wants to have a bunch of kids one day and I know I am not cut out to work with kids for the rest of my life. However, this experience has been more than I thought it would be and so early on. I cannot believe how much these young people have taught me in only a few hours each day. I am so excited to continue to gain more experience with this new job and learn more about how these young minds work.
