12 Things Working with Children Has Taught Me
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Throughout my life, in several different capacities (from au pair, to mentor, and most recently to teaching assistant), I have been lucky enough to work with children. And, despite the snot, sweat, and tears, I genuinely do consider myself very lucky. For varying lengths of time, I’ve been granted the precious gift of access to the day to day lives of some truly wonderful little beings. They’ve made me laugh. They’ve taught me lessons about the simple requirements of life. They’ve exposed the ridiculousness of fears that come with age (fear of the unknown, and of embarrassment costs us a lot – imagination, humour, compassion, self-belief…). And they’ve challenged the crazy lies this world teaches us (never have I met a more enthusiastic feminist than in a 6 year old). They also exhausted me, made me lose my voice, and ensured I never serve a child cereal ever again (how is it possible to make so much mess with milk and a box of cereal?!) – but at the end of the day, there’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Call it a breath of fresh air, or survive it with plenty of deep breaths, spending your days with children teaches you some very important lessons – ones it pays not to lose as we grow older.
Here are 12 things I think we could all hold a little closer:
1. The imagination is a truly wonderful thing. Getting older is inevitable, but you do not need to neglect younger you. Do not let ageing make you boring, or bored - both are a travesty!
2. Money does not hold the meaning of life – children are still children. Laughter costs nothing, and sounds the same regardless of bank balance.
3. Sometimes, you just need to stop, draw the curtains, put on your pyjamas, make a hot chocolate, and watch a film.
4. Anything can be used as fancy dress. There’s something very freeing about make-believe. You can travel the world without leaving the room, but only if you truly believe – believing is power.
5. Respect is a two-way thing. Do not expect anyone to respect you if you are unwilling to do the same to them. Respect has no price tag, and cannot be forced. It must be earned.
6. Fresh air and grass are the cheapest, purest thrills we’ll ever find. Run far, climb trees, swim often, feel the sand between your toes. Do not become so fearful of seaweed, splinters, or soggy socks that you miss out on moments.
7. Do not be scattery (both literally and metaphorically). Label your underwear (okay, perhaps not literally, although having worked in a boarding school, there is nothing more frustrating than unnamed underwear), and know your own mind. Your opinion matters – have an opinion. Do not be ashamed to take up space.
8. Manners cost nothing, but are possibly one of the easiest things you can give someone. Often, their absence says a lot more than their presence, but they matter.
9. Baking is as much about the journey as the final product – let them eat cake mix – and that can be applied to more than just cupcakes.
10. Most things come out in the wash. Do not stress the small stuff. Do not become so hung up on material things that you miss the experience.
11. Sometimes we all need a hand to hold. And sometimes it really is that simple.
12. Life skills are an important gift to give to children. They may not appreciate being told to make their beds, or learning how to stack a dishwasher. In fact, they will probably actively resent it (and you). But this is part of their growth. This is part of their learning. This is part of providing parameters, tasks, boundaries and goals. This is part of raising well-rounded adults.
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