December 06, 2004 - 8:51 p.m.

Little Kids, Big Challenges

It occurred to me last week, that as a nanny, I have the best of both worlds when it comes to children. I get to hang out with kids, teach them, play with their toys, go to the zoo and playground, and cuddle them. Then, in the evening, on weekends, and on vacations I have the freedom to sleep through the night, go to a nice restaraunt, take peaceful or active vacations, read in peace, use swear words, have the computer to myself, have actual privacy, etc. Really, it makes me wonder why I would ever have kids of my own. :) It's funny, I think I do want children of my own someday, but it is hard to pinpoint exactly why... Testimony, I guess, to the fact that full-time work with young children can be excellent birth control - not that I am in any position or have any inclination to reproduce at this point of time, but an in-depth knowledge of the day to day workings of human young dispels even those idle contemplations of offspring brought on by the biological clock.

My other child related observation of late is that I actually enjoy the challenge of working with a shy child. It can be a lot of fun to hang out with a gregarious child - they often have a great sense of humor and they make my job a lot easier by making their desires known and often carrying more than their share of a conversation. Getting a shy child to open up, to smile, to talk, to laugh is a much bigger challenge, but it is for me proportionally rewarding. The process is particularly challenging, because there's no tried and true method for breaking through a quiet child's reserve, and they don't give you the clues themselves as outgoing munchkins often do. Some kids respond well to the absurd. With others roleplaying with dolls or puppets opens the lines of communication. Sometimes, you just have to sit quietly beside the child until he/she is comfortable enough to make a connection. It can take a bit of effort and a lot of patience before you hit upon the right tactic, but it is totally worth it when you feel you've earned the trust of a child who doesn't give it away lightly.

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flutter back - fly ahead