Just Bring It

Keri Smith said, ~Children possess this divine awareness. They are naturally joyous and passionate. They also instinctively know what they want, and they find ways to act on their instincts, doing exactly what they want.~ Working in the asylum, you can most definitely see, hear, and/or experience the best of children; but one can also see, hear, and/or experience the worst. It's one of the aspects of the job that a person will become used to because you get somewhat of a crash course in parenting 101, which can prepare one to have kids someday. Essentially, kids have a violent side and when it comes to "my kids" they can show it to the fullest extent in three ways: verbally, nonverbally, and most of all physically.

Without a doubt, when a child doesn't have one's own way, he or she will give you a verbal attitude to the utmost degree. It's that kind of verbal attitude that if you ever mouthed off to your own parents that way back in the day one would not see tomorrow. Yet, it's not so much the verbal attitude that is tossed at us by the kids but rather the kids towards each other when it pertains to something he or she wants. The insults/threats that come out of these seemingly innocent children towards each other can either make you laugh, completely dumbfounded, embarrassed, or absolutely speechless to the point where you think to yourself or say out loud, Tell me I didn't just hear that particular child say that.

Kids can show you emotion without even saying a word and it's all in their nonverbal body language towards each other and towards us. We've all made that "I want to hurt you face" which is a face that primarily stares a hole right through you or that particular child. Its primarily in that child's eyes that you either see or look for ahead of time so the fight potential fight can be squashed before it ever happens. However, there are times where you just look into a particular child's eyes and see that the lights are on but nobody's home. It's at that very point you turn to your fellow co-workers with a worried look on your face and say to them these words which are be afraid, be very afraid.

Let me tell you something, kids play rough and they do it to the point where one, the other, or both get hurt. On any given day at the asylum you will find yourself in the thick of things trying to stop a fight that may or may not have you getting beaten up as well. Personally speaking, there have been times where I, the proverbial peacemaker, have been punched and kicked separating two kids. To be perfectly honest, even though I am considered the peacemaker there are times being a referee crosses my mind so both of them can learn a valuable lesson. Unfortunately, its a lesson that the kids in the asylum don't at times follow and they continue to go after each other despite the consequences they will suffer in the end.

In retrospect, the violent tendencies that kids have aren't just seen and/or experienced by kids 6 years old and older. For it can also be seen and/or experienced by babies as well, particularly by my own godson who I'm predicting might grow up to be a professional wrestler someday. Several months ago I was holding him and to be playful I gave him a light headbutt to his forehead. Well, he looked at me, smiled, and then preceded to give not 1, not 2, but 7 consecutive headbutts to my nose and the side of my head. I can freely admit that I was almost knocked out by my own godson who was laughing the whole time he was doing it. Anyways, there will always be a power struggle of wills between kids and adults to where both sides will look at each other and in the end, say these three words...JUST BRING IT.