Today, a bunch of folks over at 20sb have swapped blogs for the day to talk about everyone’s favorite season (or at least mine….) SUMMER!
At some point today, I’ll be over at Tasha’s (can I call you Tasha?!?) blog, Kentucky Geek Girl, taking about my favorite summer reads like a big nerd! Tasha’s over here talking about how cuh-razy kids are … as if we didn’t already know that from my stories about my cousins. Take it away, Tasha!
Natasha is a 24 year old history student from Lexington, KY. In 2010, she founded Kentucky Geek Girl, a haven for all things geek, nerd and dork.
Even though I’m only 24 years old, I’ve been working with kids for most of my life. Until I was in 7th grade, my mom taught Headstart so I was always exposed to young kids. I became a tutor when I was in elementary school and that continued until I graduated high school. In between, I worked at a local museum and worked with children giving tours and leading workshops. Even through all of these “jobs” I never had a true position of authority until I started working with the Extended School Program through our city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Though, I no longer work with the program, I had plenty of lessons about the inner-workings of a child’s mind to take away from the experience.
They generally do not care to tell you what they’re thinking at any given moment, nor will they hold back in telling you what they really think of you, especially if you’re not their parental unit or guardian. Kids are super judgmental and it begins the first time you open your mouth to them. In my experience, there is a complicated line of questioning. On my first day of work at the after-school program, I got the full interrogation. When I was asked my age and I responded 22, I got mixed reactions. I was asked, “Do you have a son?” before I was even asked if I was married. That was disturbing in itself, but when I replied no, I was met with absolute shock. “Well, why not?!” cried the masses. “Um… because I’m not at a point in my life that I want to make that kind of comm… oh my gosh, why am I telling you this?!” Even admitting to them that I didn’t have a boyfriend was emotionally draining. (Mom and Dem’s note: True story. Kids think anyone out of college should be married with 5 kids. DUMMIES!!)
Elementary school kids aren’t the best at pronouncing things, even if you spell it out for them. My name, Natasha, is apparently the most difficult thing in the world. Instead of trying to understand and comprehend, my third graders decided just to give me a new name. The entire time I worked for the after-school program I was known as “Miss Nawtesha.”
A conversation from last spring:
Child: Miss Nawtesha, do you still not have a boyfriend?
Me (dejectedly): No, I don’t have a boyfriend.
Child: Well why not?!
Me: I just don’t really have the time to get out and meet people.
Child: Aw, Miss Nawtesha! You gotta get up in the club! You gotta show those men your dance moves! (Mom and Dem’s note: This is actually good advice.)
She then proceeded to show me some dances that I only think I’d be able to do after having consumed one too many Long Island Iced Teas. This year, when I was in fact seeing someone, I was asked again if I had a boyfriend. I was able to proudly tell them… sort of. And it was better than nothing.