I used to work with mainstream kids in an afterschool care for a while, aged about 7 year olds...now I work with special kids that are between 6 - 11.
For mainstream kids, I find the thing most difficult to get used to is the noise. Coming from a mostly stationed in office background, the noise is like an entire massive nestful of birdlings chirping in very loud and high pitched decibels... after work, I always appreciate the silence!
With my special kids, they are quieter and more affectionate.
Still, Its normal to get frustrated at times with the things that kids do. They are at the age they want to test their boundaries just to see what effect it will cause. Mostly with a firm approach, they will learn that you don't take nonsense from them. There are days when I finish work and feel so totally tired from CONSTANT VIGILANCE cos you have NO IDEA what those little hands can do when you just keep your eyes off for a while! The constant hyperactivity to match the kids can also wear you down. But I guess the thing is whatever they do, its NEVER personal. That helps
!
I guess the biggest difficulty is when some parents expect you to be teacher, cleaner, parent, bouncer, maid all at once, when really all you have to do is to be superwoman juggling all the kids in one hand, while trying to wipe the mouth of one other kid with the other hand, and your feet goes to accompany another kid to the toilet. Did I mention 1 eyeball is monitoring that the kid in the corner is doing his homework, and the other eyeball is roving around here and there?
It is hard not to open your hearts to kids when you work with them. They bring a lot of laughter to my everyday life. They can be so funny, so smart, and really let you look at things in many different ways. They can grow up SO fast, change so much, in the course of your contact with them.
Sorry for the long post. Really I have made the switch to working with kids in the last.. 2 - 3years. And find it the best decision I've ever made.
