Yes, Chem loves the kids....

at the women's convention i mention a couple of post back, i signed up for weekend science camps. our goal is to get more fem_engins in the world. 😄

so this is my first weekend camp session with my girls. I have 5 of them, from the ages of 10-13. now, the only thing i remember about being this age (12-13) is that i was taller than all of my friends 5'7" and already in a C cup. also i had 17 year old boys asking me out. so yea, crazy times.

anyone on here with child development skills,any teachers or have your own kids this age? come on! help a me out. what am i dealing with here, i know there is like a less than 5% chance i may have 1 kid like i was at this age. but not counting on it.

i am godmother to a 2 year old and 10 month old, but that doesn't help. I am also doing my own research, but i think real life experience is better than text book. especially in this situation.

all tips welcomed thanks.

you want to know how to get along with them smoothly?

yes, thats what i want. i think there should have been some training on this part. all they told us about is what experiments and activities we can have with them. these are girls, im going to be dealing with more than this, im sure.

it's been almost 8 yrs that i was a 13 years old,but unfortunately i had a good memory;there are many things shared with our teachers and mentors which i still remember and even recall the feelings i felt at different occasions while dealing with them.
what i personally believe that one thing every child of this age hate is the look/sentence--which elder give so generously,i.e. I TOLD YOU SO,or,I KNEW IT,I KNEW IT.
this one sentence/look is enough to regress any effort you have made with them. i would just make them simmer inside and either clam them shut or turn on the jerk mode.
the air of intellectual,moral,mental superiority which elders put on is so off-putting to kids that you do not even imagine.
we are kids--we are likely to do stupid things,we in fact yearn to make mistakes,we long to make blunders; it's every adult's responsibility to minimize the impact or spectrum of these mistakes but without being censorious , judgmental or a prig.
no child likes to know this thing that he/she is so easily comprehensible to adults. it makes every child clench his teeth in impotent fury when he is told that we-adults understand him.
he does not want to be understood so easily by elders,he is likely to take it as an insult to his "depth".

roller coaster of memories is taking it's speed,ouch !

Hey Chem! I was a camp counselor for 11-13 year-olds for 3 years. Counselor of the Year for two of those years and a talent show winner for one of them. 🙂 I brag because I just LOVED it! I miss the kids a lot!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/40_507626859684_14301423_30655940_476_n.jpg

My best advice is to befriend these girls and talk to them in the same way you would talk to your girlfriends (except, keep in PG 🙂) Joke with them, laugh with them and be friendly. Don't try to be too much of a hardass because you will intimidate them and they won't feel comfortable bonding with you. They are going to look up to you automatically- you're successful, attractive, and older than they are. They are looking to be accepted and are looking for a role model. You are who they want to be when they grow up! Remember that.

If you're cool with it- Be someone they would feel comfortable friend-requesting on Facebook. I still keep in touch with some of the kids from my group that are now in college.

I hope all of this helps! I'm sure you're going to be absolutely great with them, Lady!

Posted by aliaries
Hey Chem! I was a camp counselor for 11-13 year-olds for 3 years. Counselor of the Year for two of those years and a talent show winner for one of them. 🙂

that is worth bragging about. you should be prouds 😄

thanks for the much much needed advice. 🙂

Any time 🙂

I mentor children of various ages and from my experiences, if you can relate to them on their level, you're in! I agree with not coming off as a hard-ass, they already have a sense of trust and respect for you (why else would you be there), so just play it cool and treat them as you would any other friend 🙂

Posted by Archimedes
I mentor children of various ages and from my experiences, if you can relate to them on their level, you're in! I agree with not coming off as a hard-ass, they already have a sense of trust and respect for you (why else would you be there), so just play it cool and treat them as you would any other friend 🙂

thanks Archimedes.🙂

update! Update!

it was great! i have 5 special little people in me life. 😄 they are so sweet and smart. we had a great time getting to know each other and sharing. i feel i can be an asset to their lives..meaning, i have the resources and knowledge to help them with their dreams. 😄

thanks everyone...

oh their sun signs are:

aquarius
saggittarius
aries
pisces
cancer

quite a mix i think...
my coworker(she is a scorpio) got
3 sags
scorpio
virgo