What I Wish I’d Known Before Working With Kids
Following my first year of university I decided I needed a job for summer to help me out in second year. I was informed of an opening working for a kids camp that runs all summer, essentially involving messing around and playing sports and other activities with kids all day. Perfect. Right?
Not entirely. Whilst working with kids can be a massively rewarding job, it certainly has its hardships which I wasn’t quite prepared for. I received training prior to starting my new role, but what this training could not prepare me for was the often stressful, often hilarious, crazy things kids get up to. Here are some of the things I wish I’d known before taking the plunge.
The cuteness wears off fast
Tiny little people running around is cute for the first few hours, maybe even days. However, this wears off pretty quickly. It takes just one child bursting out into tears or misbehaving to reduce all cuteness of the collective group of children. For me, the nail in the coffin had to be one girl deciding to deliberately (yes deliberately) soil herself in an attempt to garner attention.
It’s so very tiring
10 hours a day, 5 days a week takes its toll, let alone doing this on your feet practically all day, ensuring the safety of 20+ kids whilst keeping them entertained. Early nights are a must.
You seem to be hungry ALL the time
There’s something about running around after misbehaving kids all day that really works up an appetite. Bring plenty of food to work because there’s nothing more painful than watching all the kids eating the overly excessive amounts of food their parents have packed them in the morning, lunch AND afternoon whilst you’re sitting there starving.
Most of them have no concept of personal space
Sometimes funny, sometimes annoying; kids just don’t seem to care about anyone’s personal space, including yours. Whether it’s sticking their noses right up against yours in order to talk to you or braiding your hair and decorating it with daises, having known you for merely a day (yes I happened to be the unlucky victim and yes I had long[ish] hair).
Kids are hilarious
It’s safe to say that by the end of it all, you’ll have many stories to share, and most of them funny. Anyone who works or has worked with kids will know that kids do weird and wonderful things, and regardless of the struggles of working with them, you can rest assured you’ll be entertained daily.
You’ll miss (some of) them
Despite many of them giving you a hard time for weeks, there are some kids that you become accustomed to brightening up your day somewhat, and I would be lying if I said it isn’t the slightest bit sad to see them go at the end of the summer. Kids get attached easily, and its just as sad to see them struggle to say goodbye to you.
It’s very rewarding
As tiring and stressful as working with kids can be, the rewarding nature of the work ultimately outweighs all the negatives. There are not many better feelings than knowing you’ve sent a child home smiling. I don’t think I fully appreciated or expected the feeling of fulfillment gained from the knowledge that you have positively impacted upon a child’s life in some way, however small or brief, and this makes all the hard work worthwhile.
With thanks to Richard Shelly
