oh yeah
Submitted by Splash! on October 12 2001 01:19:01
In reply to yep... submitted by Nate on October 12 2001 00:31:37
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I work with young teens quite a bit now. Some of the other adults who work alongside me don't pay them as much attention, but the fact that I show interest in them and actually remember their names means so much to them. It is very important to look at a boy as another human being, and nothing less. We give them FAR LESS credit than what we should. If we can get on the level with kids, it makes ALL the difference. And when I say "get on the level" I mean speaking to them as they are adults (keeping in mind that there are things they're still naive about -- they are growing adults afterall -- we just need to teach them also). We shouldn't have to talk DOWN to them or make them feel like we're going DOWN to their level to make them understand us. Talk to them as if they already understand what we're going to say. If they don't, they'll ask. Or if it looks they don't, then clarify a bit more. But never talk DOWN to them. I gained the trust of my main YF this way. To his parents he was still "little" but to me he was one of the smartest kids I ever met. At home, his parents pretty much ignored him (his thoughts, feelings, the things he said), but when I had him for a weekend, I talked with him straight, like an adult. He opened up so much. The things he shared with me were very adult. He told me things he saw in his parents that he didn't like, things he saw in other Christians that he didn't like -- he talked to me about things he wanted to improve about himself and what I thought about certain things he has done or thought about doing. All of this from a ten-year old boy!!! You know, a lot of times AGE *is* just a NUMBER. Parents have to get over the idea that their child is just a child. If they can open up the communication a bit, they'll find out differently. Splash |
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