Yesterday it was 8/8/08. Many things happened that day. This guy’s free album was released. The Olympics started. And it was the last day of Kidz XL Summer Sports Camp. I was a coach [in training] for about 8 weeks there [if I didn't go to Challenge it would be all 9 weeks] and as much work as it was those 8 weeks, and as much as I complained about the kids, it was pretty fun. I got to meet many new coaches and got to spend time with some old coaches that had come from Wisconsin. This year was very unique from all the other years seeing as this was the first year I was actively involved in coaching kids, instead of just playing with the kids my age and not doing much work at all. The camp was longer, and these guys were nowhere to be found this year. But I wasn’t really as bummed about that as I thought I would be. It was an interesting summer.
The kids were brand new. Only a couple from last year, but yeah, mostly kids I had never met before. The little kids were pretty cute, yet annoying at most times. The older kids…well there were some that I could just never get along with. Oh well, hopefully they’ll either develop the many character qualities they still need or just not come. Hehe. I worked with the kids from ages 4-9, Kindergarten to 3rd grade. We played sports with them [well with most of them] and I helped during the reading group time, mostly with the kindergarteners seeing as they’re a bit rowdy. Of course, them being small children, they did not listen a lot of the time. They were lazy, angry, “sick”, “injured”, tired, and hot a lot of time. But thank God for Aimee. She is my best friend’s sister who is 21 years old and is majoring in elementary education. And I know why. She is amazing with kids. She may seem a bit drill-sargent-eque, but it worked. All the kids would listen and all the kids loved her.
And surprisingly, most of the kids sort of…liked me. I do NOT like small children. But I decided that since Nic put me in charge of them, I should be nice to them. I had a lot of self-control this year and by the end, I really did love all the kids and I sort of miss them.They said the funniest things you have ever heard. Like once Nic said something to this kid Ezekiel about having a brother or something and his cousin Esther says:
“Ezekiel doesn’t have a brother! He’s SINGLE!”
I was laughing for about 5 minutes. And two days ago, the Padilla family strikes again during reading group. I was helping the 3rd grade reading group and we were reading the American’s Creed. The last sentence is:
“I there fore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”
To which Esther’s brother Aaron responds with:
“Which is England!”
Funny stuff. There was also this one kid, David [in the picture] who was the cutest thing ever and pretty much the camp favorite. I’m gonna miss him. But there was this one kid who I couldn’t stand at the beginning of the year who I ended up loving. His name was Justin and he was 4 or 5. He supposedly didn’t know English, but actually understands it perfectly. But no matter what language he was speaking, you could never understand him. At end, though, I was one of the only ones who could decipher what he was saying and he even started using a couple English words. He was so loving and a cutie pie. I’ll miss him, too.
As much as us coaches taught the kids everything from sports to phonics to good manners. But I think they taught me something really important. I think I have a problem with forgiving people and loving everyone. But these kids are the total opposite. I mean they REALLY have to work on obedience and respect for authority but they have the forgiveness thing down. Some days us coaches [mostly me] got really bitter. And whenever the kids would disobey, us coaches would let them have it. It was needed sometimes, but I was a little too harsh sometimes and figured that they would be resent it and have this remorse towards me whenever I told them that they were doing something wrong and punished them for it. But no, these kids don’t care. A couple hours, or even minutes, later they would still hug me and smile at me and simply love me, nevertheless. I admire that about them. They forgave me for being mean and understood that I did love them and they loved me right back. They loved all the coaches.
So it was a sad, yet good end to the camp. I miss all those kids and wish I were like them. To some extent :D
(now I have to start worrying about school. yucky)
