Know Your Role

Mignon Mclaughlin once said, ~Tough and funny and a little bit kind; that is as near perfection as a human being can be.~ Working in the childcare profession, you can get somewhat of an idea of what role one will play as time goes on. In some cases, that particular question can be immediately answered or not answered at all. For some people it takes awhile as he or she tries to find one's particular niche when dealing with kids. One has to have a balance of meanness and coolness; but there are those days where one trait outweighs the other. Over the 8 years I have worked at the Asylum, I have been put in several different roles that in some way, shape or form have taught me some life lessons.

Someone once said, every leader needs to look back one in a while to make sure he has followers. Being a leader is an important responsibility because the people one works with look to you for answers. In some aspects, I consider myself a veteran and sometimes the solutions to problems and/or questions that relate to the job come easily. Yet, there are the times where blame for something one did or didn't do is placed squarely on one's shoulders; but it comes with the territory when working in the childcare profession. I've learned that being a leader doesn't necessarily mean taking on all the responsibility, it means delegating some of the responsibility to one's co-workers; in other words, teamwork.

Another role that I feel quite nicely is the role of mentor/big brother. Though, I don't know what it's like to have more than one sibling; but I can imagine. Yet, it's somewhat of a nice feeling to make an impact, if any, in these kids' lives. I've been a person who likes to draw and from time to time try to teach the kids step by step to draw whenever an opportunity for a drawing class is scheduled. About 4 years ago, a parent came up to me and told me that their child has been drawing a lot and it was due to my influence and how fun I made it for him. A person never really knows the impact that one can make on a child until the child's parent informs you; it can be an ego boost, but it’s just part of the job.

Though I don't have any kids myself, the role of parent is one I have somewhat eased into being that I have learned from the best which are my parents. One can have that mindset that he or she will never say or do the things that his or her parents did; ultimately you will be in for a rude awakening. For the phrase "BECAUSE I SAID SO" has been permanently integrated into every response that pertains to a child when he or she simply asks why. I never thought a day would come when those 4 words would come out of my mouth after arguing with a child about sitting in someone else's seat. If you think about it, we spend out lives trying not to be our parents and yet, we are our parents.

In retrospect, the people I work with are considered family and every family member has a role. After 8 years, I finally realized what my role actually is and you know what it actually suits my personality. I will forever be by the crazy uncle who visits the house; but in this case I clock into the asylum. I make the kids laugh when they need cheering up, get them and myself into trouble when things get a little rowdy, and promise them treats and sometimes don't deliver on time. I then do it all over again the next day; it's that inner child you never leave behind that helps you when the aspects of the job get you totally stressed out. So when it comes to your own job, do you know your role?